Gliding Dinosaur Hunted Birds Way Before Hawks and Eagles
The tale of birds evolving into what they were through evolution was always viewed with wonder and awe by scientists due to their feathers, ability to fly, and overall becoming some of the most successful animal kinds there have ever been in the entire world.
Yet, a newly found fossil in China has proved that 120 million years ago, the skies were not welcoming.
This is due to a recently discovered feathered dinosaur called Microraptor that can glide through trees, and it is thought that this dinosaur might have specialized in eating the first kinds of birds.
The Sky Was Already Dangerous
The fossil is thought to be from the Early Cretaceous Period in northwestern China. There has been some indication that this fossil can be regarded as the last microraptor and increases the geographic distribution of this particular dinosaur group.
All news articles seem to revolve around just how weird this animal must have looked. This dinosaur has feathers on its arms as well as its legs, making it look as if it has four wings like the rest of the microraptors.
One cannot but wonder at the implications such a creature might hold when it comes to the theory of evolution. During the time the dinosaurs roamed Earth, birds were evolving as well, gaining the capacity to fly or glide. However, there was also some leeway for predators in the air.
Evolution’s First Aerial Arms Race
The lives of many birds in the modern era involve evading aerial predators like hawks, falcons, and eagles.
However, about 120 million years ago, there were no such predators.
Courtesy of Andrea Wright (Flickr CC0)Instead, they would be replaced by creatures like Jian changmaensis.
The dinosaur had the capability to glide through trees when hunting for prey, according to scientists studying fossils. The dinosaur even hunted birds in mid-flight, based on the provided images in the study.
Therefore, besides learning how to fly, it seems as if early birds may have had to learn to stay alive during their pursuit in the air.
A Dinosaur That Blurs the Line
This particular sample also illustrates the ambiguity of the dividing line between birds and dinosaurs.
Although popular culture depicts dinosaurs as large and threatening creatures, microraptors were relatively small and feathered. Furthermore, they greatly resembled present-day birds, thus refuting the long-held myth about slow and reptilian dinosaurs.
Microraptors had to adapt to an environment rich in feathers, gliding, and superior predatory skills.
The finding of another species confirms that the evolutionary path of microraptors was highly diverse.
Why This Discovery Matters
Though many paleontologists may prefer searching for new species of dinosaurs, sometimes the analysis of fossils will give information about entire ecosystems.
Jian changmaensis demonstrates the evidence that the process of predation on other species evolved at the same time when flight capabilities started developing. Flying was not something invented by the birds alone, as there also existed predators among the reptiles which tried flying.
Fossils often tell the story about a period in evolution which is forgotten.
A long time before hawks conquered the skies, or when no continents were populated by birds yet, a primitive dinosaur could use the sky as a hunting ground.
The sky has not always been the eternal dwelling place of the birds.
By David Loran Jr
A successful Editor-in-Chief, journalist for over 6 years, writing about important topics that are going on within the U.S. and beyond.
Sources:
CNN News: Fossil reveals bizarre gliding creature that hunted birds 120 million years ago
LiveScience: New Velociraptor cousin was a ‘4-winged’ dragon that hunted prey from the trees of ancient China, fossil find hints
Featured Image Courtesy of Tomi Lattu‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Andrea Wright‘s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
