Feathered Dinosaurs

Birds of a Feather Run Together

(skeleton of Archaeopteryx)

With the discovery of Archaeopteryx (see All American Dinosaur) it would seem that any controversy between bird-dinosaur links would cease. However, that was not the case. Bird-Dinosaur links have been disputed even more heatedly than ever. Dinosaurs like Velocaraptor, which have many bird like features, were brought into the debate but eventually droped. As far as paleontology was concerned, it was not only the feathers but also the flight that made the bird.

Discoveries of early birds in China in the past ten years have been changing those past beliefs. Many fossils were found of small dinosaurs with feathers. The biggest catch was that not all of these feathers were flight feathers. Some of the dinosaurs didn't have flight feathers at all. Instead, the feathers were more like down. Paleontologist Phil Currie says "the only thing truly birdlike about [these dinosaurs] is it's feathers" (Fischman). His beliefs follow what is fast becoming common reason around palentogists: that feathers are not distinctive features of birds and that leathery skin is not necessarily characteristic of lizards. (Fischman). "Early birds," like the ones being discovered in China, were perhaps only dinosaurs using insulation or developing colorful courtship displays

By comparing their arm and wrist bones, Bakker shows us that the similarities between birds and dinosaurs are more than just feathers . Bakker shows that late carnivores like Velocaraptor could rotate their wrist in much the same way as birds fold their wings. Bakker says that, based on their bone structure and other similar characteristics, dinosaurs like Velocaraptor can be classified as either birdlike dinosaurs or dinosaurlike birds. (Bakker 310)

While Bakker bases his evidence on bone structures, other palentologists are playing the devil's advocate by suggesting, based on organ evidence, that dinosaurs are more like crocodiles. How is it possible to gain evidence from organs of an animal millions of years old and fossilized? Modern technology gives us the answer with ultraviolet light. Under ultraviolet lights, well preserved dinosaur organs sometimes fluoresce. This technique was used by reseachers from the University of Oregon on a small bird-like dinosaur. The organs, particularly the liver and colon, were arranged like that of a modern crocodile, not like a bird. (See Scientific American article)

Dinosaurs are a stange combination. Evidence suggests both that they needed insulation (an indictaion or warm bloodedness),but also that they had the internal structure of a reptile. Whatever the end decision on whether or not dinosaurs were actually birds, one thing is clear: they have a lot in common. Most evolutionary lines are now being rewritten to place dinosaurs, not only Archaeopteryx, as links between reptiles and birds.

To see more on feathered dinosaurs, look around National Geographic's on-line exibits

Why Feathers?.................Early Birds

Back to dinosaur stance ........................Forward to dinosaur behavior

home to the dinosaur renaissance