A wonderful discovery as it is by most versatile an author like Vikas Acharya, the same is reblogged for the interest and knowledge of the readers of this blog. Let us be thankful to the author for imparting so meaningful an information in relation to life on the earth planet millions of years back or say during or even before the palaeolithic age.
The oldest bird was known as an Archaeopteryx and lived about 150 million years ago. It was the size of a raven, was covered with feathers, and had wings.
Amazingly detailed Archaeopteryx fossils have been found in fine-grained Jurassic limestone in southern Germany. Paleontologists view Archaeopteryx as a transitional fossil between dinosaurs and modern birds. With its blend of avian and reptilian features, it was long viewed as the earliest known bird. Discovered in 1860 in Germany, it’s sometimes referred to as Urvogel, the German word for “original bird” or “first bird.” Recent discoveries, however, have displaced Archaeopteryx from its lofty title.Various specimens of Archaeopteryx showed that it had flight and tail feathers, and the well-preserved “Berlin Specimen” showed the animal also had body plumage that included well-developed “trouser” feathers on the legs. Archaeopteryx is considered by many to be the first bird, being of about 150 million years of…
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