List of Fossil Birds - Basal Avialae (extinct)

Basal Avialae (extinct)

The most primitive "birds", usually still possessing a long bony tail with generally unfused vertebrae. Not all of these may be on the line of bird ancestors; whether they are not closer to other theropods groups than to the Avialae remains to be thoroughly tested (see Xiaotingia).

• Unresolved forms
  • Dalianraptor (Early Cretaceous) - possibly a Jeholornis-based chimera
  • Jixiangornis (Early Cretaceous)
  • Jeholornis (Early Cretaceous) – sometimes called Shenzhouraptor
  • Zhongjianornis (Early Cretaceous) – basal Confuciusornithidae?

• Scansoriopterygidae
  • Epidexipteryx (Late Jurassic?)
  • Scansoriopteryx/Epidendrosaurus (Late Jurassic?)