This Baby Bird Has Been Trapped In Amber For 99 Million Years

Researchers have made an incredible discovery in Malaysia, where they harvested a piece of amber dating back to the Cretaceous era. Within this amber is a small bird that has been preserved in incredible detail, making it possible for scientists to recreate what this particular critter looked like...and helping shed light on the type of birds that existed long ago in the planet's past. The fossil is described as being 'relatively complete.'

The fossil discovery was recently detailed in a newly published study. The paper's co-author, Ryan McKeller, spoke about the bird in an interview with Smithsonian, where he explained that the bird is encased in Burmese amber, and that it is the first time such a specimen has been found in this substance.

Unfortunately, researchers aren't able to harvest DNA from the fossil, but some other things, such as the feather keratin, can help reveal the bird's colors. Using the remains, scientists created a render of what the bird probably looked like – it was small and not unlike a bird you'd see today, including a small beak, long and short feathers, and relatively long, sharp talons.

Overall, the fossil is highly preserved, featuring both of its feat, its full head and neck, parts of one wing, and a lot of its skin. Researchers estimate that the bird was only a few weeks old when it died, having fallen victim to tree resin that encased it and, over the course of millions of years, turned into amber. The critter comes from a family of birds known as the Enantiornithes.

Current understanding of these birds posits that the hatchlings were left to fend for themselves, being hatched on the ground where they then ventured out on their own, either managing to survive to adulthood or die quickly from any number of hazards. The birds weren't as defenseless as modern birds, though, having claws on their wings in addition to their feet, as well as teeth.