Prehistoric Birds
Prehistoric Birds
Prehistoric Birds
Flying Beasts 4
The Age of Archosaurs 6
A Different Earth 8
Adapting to Change 9
Bird Fossils 10
Revealing Evidence 12
Ornithologists 13
Bird Groups 14
Birds Closeup 16
Life Cycle of Birds 18
Feeding Habits of Birds . . . . 20
Disappearing Act 22
Prehistoric Birds Onscreen . . 24
Digging for Birds 26
Further Research 28
Ancient Activity . . . . . . . . . . 29
Quiz 30
Glossary 31
Index 32
Flying Beasts
Pterosaurs were flying reptiles, not birds. They had wings, but no
feathers. A leather membrane covered their wings. Their wings
ranged in size from a few inches to more than 40 feet (12 m).
4 FLYING BEASTS
Albertosaurus\N3S a theropod, which means "beast footed."
Most theropod dinosaurs walked on two legs.
BIRDS 5
The Age of
Archosaurs
Trilobite fossils
6 THE AGE OF ARCHOSAURS
Some scientists think the Mesozoic Era should be
called the "Age of Archosaurs." The archosaurs were a
large group of animals that included birds, dinosaurs,
and pterosaurs, or flying reptiles.
Brontotheres sk\.\\\
8 A DIFFERENT EARTH
Adapting to
Change
The Dodo's
hooked beak
may have
been used
to catch fish.
The Dodo
lacked the
The Doc/o did not need strong chest
to fly, so it developed muscles needed
small, weak wings. for flight.
DODO
BIRDS 9
Bird Fossils
Hardened tree sap, also called amber, can preserve items so well that
even the individual fibers of a feather are visible.
10 BIRD FOSSILS
T T M ' I '
BIRDS 11
Revealing
Evidence
12 REVEALING EVIDENCE
CAREER LINK
Ornithologists
BIRDS 13
Bird Groups
14 BIRD GRDUPS
ADVANCED FLIERS: NEOGNATHOUS BIRDS
Most modern birds belong flapped its arms to get into the
to the neognathous, or advanced air Others think that the small
fliers, group. Many scientists theropod gradually developed
believe that all birds developed wings in order to glide from
features for flight Birds needed tree to tree. The discovery
to be very light to get off the of the Microraptorgui'm China
ground and stay off the ground, supports this theory. This
so they developed hollow bones. small flying dinosaur had
They also needed to stay in the four wings—one on each
air once they were in the air. arm and leg.
That is why birds developed
wings and feathers.
BIRDS 15
Birds Cioseup
16 BIRDS CLDSEUP
ARCHAEOPTERYX MOA AEPYORNIS
• Believed to be the first bird Extinct flightless bird that • Flightless bird
• Same size and weight as lived in New Zealand • Stood 9 feet (2.7 m) high
a crow First appeared 82 rriillion and weighed more than
• Appeared in the Late years ago 8Ü0 pounds (363 kg)
Jurassic Period • Could reach 12 feet (3.7 m) • Seven species lived on
• Probably ate insects and weigh more than 660 the island of Madagascar;
•
and small plants
Shared many
characteristics with
I pounds (299 kg)
A plant-eater
Extinction caused by early •
some survived until the
seventeenth century
Had tiny wings and long,
both birds and reptiles humans in New Zealand sturdy legs
BIRDS 17
Lile Cycle
of Birds
BIRDS 19
Feeding Habits
of Birds
N
A new species of puff bird was
discovered in Lincoln County, Wyoming.
It lived approximately 50 million years
ago and likely ate insects, just like
modern puff birds, which live in tropical
North and South America.
20 F E E D I N G H A B I T S OF B I R D S
Food Weh
SUN
DECAYING
BIRD
REMAINS
PLANT-EATING BIRDS
MEAT EATING
BIRDS
FOOD WEB
Just like life today, all life in or plant-eaters. The herbivores were
prehistoric times relied on an eaten by carnivores, or meat-eaters.
exchange of energy, also called When a bird or any other living thing
a food web. For birds, this food died, its body would break down and
web began with plants. The plants provide food for plants.
made their own food by converting
the Sun's rays into energy. These
plants were eaten by herbivores,
BIRDS 21
Disappearing Act
22 DISAPPEARING ACT
Although bird
fossils are not
as common as
dinosaur fossils,
many of them
contain details
that are helping
scientists explain
how birds evolved.
BIRDS 23
Prehistoric Birds
Onscreen
BIROS 25
Digging for Birds
I t is unusual to find fossils of flying animals because
their bones are light and easily destroyed. Even so,
paleontologists niake exciting discoveries every year.
This map shows some exciting discoveries of prehistoric
birds and flying reptiles.
In 1872, Benjamin F.
Mudge found the first
IchthyornisiossW in
Kansas. The fossils of
several species of this
gull-sized bird have
been found all over
North America.
26 D I G G I N G FOR B I R D S
In 1784, the first In 1861, the first Archaeopteryx In 2003, Chinese fossil hunters
pterosaur was skeleton was found in limestone discovered a new species of flying
discovered in a beds in Germany. At first, dinosaur and named it Microraptor
limestone bed scientists thought the find was gui. It was the size of a pigeon and
in Solnhofen, a pterosaui, or flying reptile, but had two sets of wings on its front
Germany. Pterosaur they were wrong. Seven fossils and back legs. Scientists believe
remains are still and a feather have been found it used its wings to glide from tree
being found tbere. in the same place. to tree. For this reason, scientists
believe the Microraptor gui mghx
be the link between dinosaurs
and birds.
BIRDS 27
Further
Research
WEB SITES
For information about different kinds of prehistoric life, including birds,
visit: http://www.enchantedlearning.com
28 FURTHER RESEARCH
Ancient Activity
I magine you are a
paleontologist. Your
job is to compare
Archaeopteryx with
modern birds to see
how closely they are
related. What features
rr\2ike Archaeopteryx a
bird? What features
m2.ke Archaeopteryx a
dinosaur? Think of
as many things as
you can for each,
and then check your
answers below.
BIRDS 2 9
Quiz
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30 QUIZ
Glossary
adapted: adjusted to different migration: the movement from
conditions or environments on3 region to another for feeding
or breeding
bipedal: an animal that walks
on two legs paleontologists: scientists
who study dinosaurs and other
continent: a large land mass
prehistoric animals
distinctive: a feature that
predators: animals that catch
makes something unique
and eat other animals for food
or special
pray: an animal that is hunted
embryo: what an animal is
for food
called before it is born
species: a group of animals
environment: an area in which
that are similar and can
something lives
breec together
evolved: changed slowly
tboory: an idea that explains
overtime
an event or fact
extinct: no longer alive
wisbbone: a special bone
anywhere on Earth
that is the right and left
mammals: warm-blooded collarbones fused together;
animals that give birth tc live founc only on birds
young, have hair on their bodies,
and produce milk for their young
meteorite: a body of rock
from outer space that has
reached Earth
BIRDS 31
Index
Aepyornis 17,18 Ichthyornis 23,26
Albertosaurus 5
amber 10 Jurassic Period 4, 7, 8,17
Andalgalornis 17
Archaeopteryx 5,7, 9,10 mammals 7, 23
12,17,27,29 Mesozoic Era 6, 7, 8
archosaurs 7 meteorite 22
Argentavis 17,20,26 Microraptor gui 15, 27
moa 17,19,20,27
carnivore 21
Cenozoic Era 7 neognathous 15
Cretaceous Period 4, 8,
22,23 ornithologists 13
crocodiles 9
palaeognathus 15
Deinonychus 14,15 paleontologists 5,9,11,12
Diatryma 16,19 18,19,23,26,29
dinosaur ....4,5,6,7,9,11,14 Paleozoic Era 6
15,18,20,23,24,27,29 Pangaea 8
dodo 9,17,19,22 period 6
Precambrian Era 6
eggs 18,19,23 pterosaur 4, 5, 7, 9, 24, 27
embryo 18
Quezalcoatlus 5, 9,25
food web 21
fossil 6,7,10,11,12, theropod 5,9,14,15
18,23,26,27 Triassic Period 8
32 INDEX