Which fossil bird is widely regarded as evidence linking dinosaurs and modern birds?

Archaeopteryx is widely regarded as evidence linking non-avian dinosaurs and modern birds. Its fossils combine feathers and wings with several dinosaur-like features.

The first known Archaeopteryx fossil was discovered in Germany in 1861, two years after Darwin published On the Origin of Species. It had flight feathers and a wishbone, but also teeth, a long bony tail, and clawed fingers. These combinations made it especially important in debates about bird origins.

Archaeopteryx is not usually described as the direct ancestor of every living bird. It is better understood as a close early bird or bird-like dinosaur showing a mosaic of features. Fossils discovered later have revealed other feathered dinosaurs and early birds, so the history of bird evolution is a branching tree rather than a single straight line.