Confuciusornithidae

Fossil of Confuchisornis sanctus

• China

The Confuciusornithidae are a family of primitive, extinct birds from the Cretaceous period. The family was set up in 1995 after the discovery of Conficiusornis in the Jehol Group in northeastern China. Meanwhile, another of the group were associated fossils found, including the sparrow large Eoconfuciusornis.

Features

The Confuciusornithiden had a horned beak, teeth were missing. The fletching is perfectly preserved in some fossils and covered body, neck, thighs, the front wing area and tail with short feathers. Long flight feathers were in the rear of the wing. Half of the specimens, probably the male, carries the tail in addition two extremely elongated feathers, which are longer than the body. Comprised of seven fused vertebrae sacrum forms a Synsacrum. Eight to nine caudal vertebrae are fused into a pygostyle. Compared to Archaeopteryx the sternum was larger and had a more pronounced keel. The hand still had three movable fingers that were probably designed for climbing.

Genera

• Changchengornis
• Conficiusornis
• Eoconfuciusornis
• Jinzhouornis