Scientists have discovered long, shiny tail feathers from a fossil of a bird that lived 120 million years ago. / fossil reaveals bird with long flashy tail feathers /. The researchers say that such feathers did not help the bird to fly. So the researchers speculate that the fancy feathers on the tip of the bird’s tail were meant to attract mates. The tail is 150% longer than its body length. The fossil was found in Jehol Biota in northeastern China. This place is also known as Jurassic Park in China. The researchers named the new species Yuanchuavis Kompsosoura. Its fossil remains, including tail feathers, were found by researchers in a well-preserved manner.
Researchers say Y. Kompsosoura is part of the Enantiornithines that became extinct along with the dinosaur. Enantiorninthines became extinct with the dinosaur / Mass extinction 66 million years ago. From Y.kompsosoura’s tail fossil it can be seen that they lived in dense forests. They became extinct 66 million years ago because they were endemic to the wild. Researchers estimate that a global fire caused by a meteorite hit the earth 66 million years ago, causing extensive deforestation. Studies on this have been published in the journal Current Biology / journal Current Biology /.
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