Brevirostruavis

Brevirostruavis had a tongue bone (hyoid) that was almost as long as its entire skull, a feature not seen in any other early bird.2

Its short snout was lined with small, peg-shaped teeth, which helped it grip prey.2

This bird lived during the Early Cretaceous period, about 120 million years ago, in what is now northeastern China.2

Brevirostruavis belonged to a group of extinct birds called Enantiornithes, which were the most diverse birds of the Mesozoic.2

Scientists think its long tongue helped it reach food that other birds couldn't, like insects hiding in tree bark or nectar deep inside flowers.2

Unlike modern birds, Brevirostruavis probably could not move its upper beak, so it had to rely on its tongue to grab food.2