| Named By: | F. Zhang & Z. Zhou in 2000 |
| Time Period: | Early Cretaceous, 131 Ma |
| Location: | China - Huajiying Formation |
| Size: | Body Length about 10 centimetres long |
| Diet: | Uncertain |
| Fossil(s): | Almost complete specimen preserved on a slab |
| Classification: | | Chordata | Dinosauria | Saurischia | Theropoda | Enantiornithes | Protopterygidae | Protopterygiformes | |
Protopteryx is an extinct genus of bird and the most primitive enantiornithine, from the Cretaceous period. The type species is P. fengningensis. It was first discovered in the Sichakou Member of the Yixian Formation of Hebei Province, northern China, dating from 131 Ma ago. Protopteryx has been found in the Daibeigou formation, as well. The name Protopteryx means "primitive feather": "proto-" meaning "the first of" and "-pteryx" meaning "feather" or "wing." The name comes from the fact that Protopteryx feathers are more primitive than those of modern birds, such as the two elongated tail feathers that lack barbs and rami.