I. jamesi lived alongside Cretaceous dinosaurs like triceratops and Tyrannosaurus rex. Credit: Danielle Dufault via Gregory Funston

Don’t let the name fool you: Infernogallus jamesi , aka the “hell chicken,” wasn’t some kind of ancient apex poultry. After extensively reviewing some of the most complete fossilized remains ever found of this Cretaceous era dinosaur , paleontologists now theorize the beaked species didn’t even enjoy meat at all. Instead, soft fruits were on the menu. The findings do more than simply repair the reputation of a turkey-sized dinosaur . In a study recently published in Nature Communications , researchers explained how I. jamesi and its evolutionary relatives paved the way for today’s fruit-loving birds.

First discovered in 2011 at Montana’s famous (and aptly named) Hell Creek Formation , I. jamesi arguably resembled more of an oversized parrot than a hell chicken.…