Yanornis is an extinct type of bird that lived during the Early Cretaceous period, around 125 to 120 million years ago.
This bird was found in China, with fossils located in two areas: The Jiufotang Formation and the Yixian Formation. Yanornis is recognized for its size, which was similar to that of a chicken.
The first species discovered is called Yanornis martini, named after a famous avian paleontologist. Another species, Yanornis guozhangi, was identified later.
Yanornis had some interesting features. It had a long head with around 10 teeth in the upper jaw and 20 in the lower jaw. This bird was good at flying and walking, thanks to a special bone structure similar to modern birds.
Diet-wise, Yanornis was thought to mainly eat fish. Some fossils show that it had fish remains in its stomach, which supports this idea. There was also some debate about whether Yanornis might have switched its diet between fish and seeds depending on the season, but this idea is still being studied.
Yanornis is part of a larger family of birds known as Songlingornithidae. These birds are clearly different from other early birds known as Ornithurae.
The name Yanornis combines elements from ancient Chinese and Greek. “Yan” refers to a dynasty from the region where fossils were found, and “ornis” means bird in Greek.
Yanornis also gained attention when a famous fossil forgery was linked to it. Scientists previously thought that some specimens were a different kind of bird, but they have since come to believe they were actually related to Yanornis.
In summary, Yanornis was a fascinating bird from a long time ago, notable for its size, diet, and features that connect it with modern birds.