Page 138 - The Dinosaur Book and Other Wonders of the Prehistoric World (DK-Smithsonian)

First up

Unlike later birds, these animals
The unusual-looking Yi qi Jeholornis had long, bony tails. They were fringed
was closely related to other with feathers and often had fans of
birdlike dinosaurs but had longer feathers at the tip.
wings of stretched skin like a bat.
These early birds
had strong claws at the
bend of the wing, which
they may have used for
climbing or gripping prey.

Sharp teeth
would have been
used for seizing The wings had the same
flying insects. feather arrangement as
those of modern birds,
but were not so well
adapted for flight.

Yi qi
Anchiornis

Microscopic analysis
of the crest feathers
indicates that they may
have been rusty-red
with a gray base.

Sharp claws may have helped With the exception of the claws,
Yi qi grip the bark of trees, the feet of Anchiornis were completely
making it an effective climber. covered in small feathers.

The first birdlike dinosaurs evolved feathery wings that were clearly adapted for
in the Jurassic Period at least 150 million some sort of flight. But we do not know how
years ago. They had toothed jaws and long, well they could fly. The wing feathers of animals
feather-fringed tails, just like many small like Archaeopteryx and Jeholornis are similar
nonflying hunters that lived at the time. They to those of modern birds, but their shoulder
136 resemble birds because most of them had long, joints did not allow them to raise their wings

US_136-137_First_up.indd 136 12/07/18 3:46 PM