The Oldest Known Bird

This painting from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History depicts the prehistoric bird Archaeopteryx in its natural environment as it might have looked about 150 million years ago. Archaeopteryx had the sharp teeth, long tail, and bone structure of a small dinosaur, but the wings and feathers of a bird. One of only seven fossil Archaeopteryx skeletons in the world will be exhibited for the first time in North America October 4-19, 1997, at The Field Museum in Chicago.

©Painting by Rudolf Freund

Photograph for The Field Museum
courtesy of The Carnegie Museum of Natural History

Back

NetPets® Main Page

contact information Main Library Information Library

The Bird Center