RESEARCH – New Fossils Imply a Deeper Origin of Modern Birds in the Mesozoic

A new review published by Associate Prof. Frank Rheindt and colleagues synthesizes the most recent information from the genomic and fossil realms to address the long-standing debate over the origin of modern birds. It highlights growing support for a Late Cretaceous origin of major avian lineages, predating the K/Pg mass extinction that led to the demise of dinosaurs. This early diversification coincided with the Cretaceous Angiosperm Terrestrial Revolution, a period of rapid ecological change prompting the emergence of flowering plants, insects, mammals, and ray-finned fishes. The review emphasizes the critical role of newly discovered Mesozoic bird fossils in clarifying the timing of the modern bird radiation.