AMAZING

99 Million-Year-Old Tiny Bird-Like Dinosaur Found Preserved in Block of Amber

The Oculudentavis khaungraae was likely smaller than a hummingbird and had teeth.

A newly discovered species of a a bird-like dinosaur that lived 99 million years ago was found perfectly preserved in a block of amber, a new study states. According to USA Today, the preserved skull—found in a northern Myanmar mine—suggests the creature is smaller than a hummingbird and weighed less than a tenth of an ounce. The Oculudentavis khaungraae is one of the smallest dinosaurs of the Mesozoic Era and one of the most ancient birds ever discovered. It's name, meaning “eye tooth bird,” references its large eye socket that is similar to a lizard’s and the presence of tiny, sharp teeth in its jaw. The eye socket’s narrow opening suggests that the bird was best suited for daytime conditions, according to the study. Each jaw of the bird is thought to have included 29 to 30 teeth total, and scientists believe it likely ate arthropods or invertebrates—unlike today’s similar-sized birds that have no teeth and feed on nectar.