Archaeopteryx

Archaeopteryx is a prehistoric creature, often considered the first bird, that lived around 150 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period. It had feathers like modern birds but also features like teeth and a long bony tail, linking it to dinosaurs. Its discovery in Germany in 1861 provided crucial evidence for the evolutionary connection between birds and reptiles. Archaeopteryx's ability to glide or possibly fly marks an important step in the evolution of birds from theropod dinosaurs, illustrating the transition from non-avian dinosaurs to the birds we know today.