The trophic habits of early birds

Although direct associations that reveal diet are extremely rare in the fossil record, the rich Lower Cretaceous Jehol Lagerstätte has produced dozens of specimens preserving ingested items, which together reveal important information regarding the early evolution of the avian alimentary canal. Direct evidence indicates Jeholornis and Sapeornis ate seeds and like living granivores utilized a gastric mill although only the more derived Sapeornis...