Fossilized Seeds in Ancient Bird's Stomach Rewrite Dietary Hypotheses

Discovery reveals Longipteryx chaoyangensis consumed gymnosperm fruits, challenging previous beliefs it primarily ate fish or insects.

Longipteryx chaoyangensis, a 120-million-year-old bird, was found with fossilized gymnosperm seeds in its stomach.
The bird's strong teeth, once thought to aid in fishing, are now suggested to be used for aggressive displays.
This marks the first instance of finding stomach contents in enantiornithine fossils from China's Jehol Biota.
The discovery highlights that skeletal traits alone may not fully reveal ancient animal behaviors.
Researchers propose Longipteryx had a mixed diet, possibly including insects when fruits were not available.