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The basal bird Archaeopteryx, from the Jurassic, is well known as one of the first "missing links" to be found in support of evolution in the late 19th century. Though it is not considered a direct ancestor of modern birds, it gives a fair representation of how flight evolved and how the very first bird might have looked.
Prior to their existence on birds, feathers were present on the bodies of many dinosaur species. Through natural selection, feathers became more common among the animals as their wings developed over the course of tens of millions of years. [6] The smooth surface of feathers on a bird's body helps to reduce friction while in flight.
Debates about the origin of bird flight are almost as old as the idea that birds evolved from dinosaurs, which arose soon after the discovery of Archaeopteryx in 1862. Two theories have dominated most of the discussion since then: the cursorial ("from the ground up") theory proposes that birds evolved from small, fast predators that ran on the ...
Birds are one of only four taxonomic groups to have evolved powered flight. A number of animals are capable of aerial locomotion, either by powered flight or by gliding. This trait has appeared by evolution many times, without any single common ancestor. Flight has evolved at least four times in separate animals: insects, pterosaurs, birds, and ...
Earliest ostriches, trees representative of most major groups of oaks have appeared by now. [102] 20 Ma First giraffes, hyenas, and giant anteaters, increase in bird diversity. 17 Ma First birds of the genus Corvus (crows). 15 Ma Genus Mammut appears in the fossil record, first bovids and kangaroos, diversity in Australian megafauna. 10 Ma
The tail feathers are used to control flight acting as rudder and brake, only some of these feathers are as firmly attached as the bird's primaries. Contour feathers are arranged on the body of the bird in the manner of roof tiles. The tips of these feathers are waterproof and help protect the bird from the elements, while the inner parts of ...
“Feathers aren’t just a bird thing, or even just a dinosaur thing, but evolved deeper in time.” The 113-million-year-old fossil is preserved within four limestone slabs. The partial skull ...
The digestive and respiratory systems of birds are also uniquely adapted for flight. Some bird species of aquatic environments, particularly seabirds and some waterbirds, have further evolved for swimming. The study of birds is called ornithology. Birds are feathered theropod dinosaurs and constitute the only known living dinosaurs.