Changmaornis houi

† Changmaornis houi is an enantiornithine bird from the Early Cretaceous Xiagou Formation of Gansu Province, China. A small, toothed avian, it inhabited arid to semi-arid inland environments far from the forest-rich Jehol Biota. Named after palaeontologist Hou Lianhai, it reveals that enantiornithines colonised diverse Cretaceous habitats. Its postcranial skeleton indicates strong flying ability and an arboreal or aerial lifestyle.

Diet & Feeding

Carnivore

Changmaornis houi was a meat-eating predator. Carnivorous dinosaurs were active hunters or scavengers, equipped with sharp teeth and claws for catching and consuming prey. They occupied the top of the food chain in their ecosystems.

Time Period

Cretaceous Early Mesozoic Era

Changmaornis houi lived during the Cretaceous Early period of the Mesozoic Era, approximately 145,0 to 100,5 million years ago.

The Cretaceous saw continued dinosaur evolution with the rise of ornithopods and early ceratopsians. Flowering plants first appeared and began to transform terrestrial ecosystems. Spinosaurus and other large theropods lived during this time.