An extinct family of flying birds that represents one of the most primitive avian groups. It comprises three genera (Confuciusornis, Changchengornis, and Jinzhouornis) and is known exclusively from western Liaoning Province and neighboring areas in northeastern China. Fossils of this group have been collected from the Yixian and Jiufotang formations, which represent freshwater lake deposits that were formed in the Early Cretaceous period 125–120 million years ago.