-
1000 BCE
Velociraptor
Velociraptors lived during the late cretaceous period, somewhere between 145.5 to 55 million years ago. They were some of the most similar animals to modern day birds. Their skeletal structures are very similar. Velociraptors were previously depicted as scaly lizards, but it has now been proven that they were covered in feathers, just like modern day birds. -
1000 BCE
Archaeopteryx
The archaeopteryx was a small bird-like creature that also lived several million years ago. It's German name 'urvogel' literally translates to original bird. This was when science really filled in the bridge between dinosaurs and modern day birds. They had three-fingered claws, just like velociraptors, but they were more developed to look more similar to modern day bird wings. -
Modern day birds
Modern day birds are considered to be 'living dinosaurs' by archaeologists and paleontologists. The skeletal structures, more specifically, their hip structures are very similar, which is why scientists believe birds are derived from dinosaurs in the dromaeosaurid family. They have lost the three-fingered claws, and they have been replaced with full wings. In chickens, a gene is activated to fuse two of the three fingers, giving it the iconic eing structure.
