Archaeorhynchus - Emerald - 57

Archaeorhynchus spathula is the earliest-known beaked bird. Found in the Early Cretaceous period in the Yixian Formation of China, these birds were capable of powered flight and were primarily herbivorous, probably filling a niche similar to today's pigeons. It is currently also the most basal member of the Euornithes known - Euornithes being the branch of birds encompassing all known modern species.