Interestingly, this fossil fills a 70-million-year-long gap in our knowledge between the early bird-like dinosaurs (Archaeopteryx) and modern birds.
Navaornis hestiae documents a previously unknown intermediate stage in the evolution of the central nervous system between the earliest birds and living birds.
“The brain structure of Navaornis is almost exactly intermediate between Archaeopteryx and modern birds – it was one of these moments in which the missing piece fits absolutely perfectly,” said Guillermo Navalón from Cambridge, and co-lead author. Interestingly, this fossil bird showcases a more developed cerebrum, indicating enhanced cognitive abilities compared to its early bird ancestors.
“Modern birds have some of the most advanced cognitive capabilities in the animal kingdom, comparable only with mammals,” said Daniel Field from Cambridge and senior author. At first look, Navaornis’s skull looked similar to a small pigeon. A more detailed examination revealed that Navaornis is not a member of modern birds but belongs to the extinct clade Enantiornithes or “opposite birds.”
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