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Name:
Unidentified Cretaceous Bird
Age: Cretaceous
Formation: Jiulongsong Member, Chaomidianzi Formation (Jehol Group)
Location: Sihetun, Beipiao City, Liaoning Province, China
Size: Bird is 10.5 inches long, head to wingtips
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This is simply an unbelievable fossil. It is a complete fossil bird from the Early Cretaceous layers of Liaoning Province, China. This formation has produced the ultra rare feathered dinosaurs, as well as a handful of fossil birds with feathers preserved. This is one of those special bird fossils.
Most bird fossils are incomplete - disartculated bones or a stray feather. Occasionally, an articulated bird skeleton is unearthed. Almost always, the skeleton is poorly preserved with no feathers intact. This specimen is not like most fossil birds - it is fully complete with its array of feathers beautifully displayed. The bird itself is preserved in the splayed-open ''spread eagle'' pose with the legs and wings laying out to the side. This feature displays the wings, legs, and body wonderfully. The head is preserved in profile, making for a classic pose. The wings have the claws intact on both sides, showing that it was a primitive bird. The legs have the tiny digits of the feet articulated, and all of the foot claws are also intact. But the real bonus feature of this bird is the feather pattern - it is fully preserved. From the fine down feathers on the head and neck to the LONG flight feathers on the wings, the detail is simply amazing. The individual feather barbs are easily seen under magnification - extremely rare detail for feathers in the fossil record. Not only is this bird complete and beautifully articulated, the feather preservation is absolutely incredible (see close-up of bottom photo). These features make this specimen one of the most unique and special fossils we have ever had - easily one of the best preserved fossil birds ever found. This is a top quality, textbook fossil that most museums around the world would love to have as the keystone of their Avian collections.
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