David Attenborough's Conquest of the Skies 3D Page #4

---

- Yes.

along that arms and hand,

they're actually primitive feathers.

And those feathers are very simple,

very very simple,

so we believe they represent

the very primitive stage

for feather evolution.

These simple strands were made

of the same material,

as the feathers of today birds.

They were relatively thick,

and must have been quite stiff,

so they would have stuck out

beyond the dinosaur's arm.

Behind them, were shorter strands

that covered its whole body.

Like the down on the chick,

these might have kept the dinosaur warm.

But those long strands most likely

had a different function.

Clues to what that

might have been can be found

on an even more extraordinary fossil.

These claws and finger bones belong

to a creature called Caudipteryx.

The long dark shapes around them,

are the remains of feathers.

The single strands are here

rather more complex.

They had barbs, thin filaments attached

to either side of a central rod.

This looks more like a bird's feather.

Caudipteryx had around 26 of them,

along each arm.

This may look like a wing,

but the feathers were not very long.

And when you compare them

to the size of this creature's body,

and its long legs, it's clear

that they weren't big enough

to enable Caudipteryx to fly.

So, what were these feathers for?

Microscopic examination has revealed

that they were coloured, and patterned.

So, maybe they were used for display,

perhaps to wave around

during courtship, to attract a mate.

But then is seems that they also

helped the dinosaur, in a different way.

We can find a hint of how

they might have done this,

by watching the way some young birds

use their first feathers today.

These are ten day old Pheasant chicks.

Their feathers are

not yet fully developed.

At this stage they're similar

in structure, to the feathers

on that dinosaur, Caudipteryx,

and grow in a line along each arm,

in much the same way.

But these early feathers

are also too short,

to enable these creatures to fly.

Nevertheless, they're very helpful.

Pheasant chicks hatch

in nests on the ground,

but they soon need to roost high up,

where they'll be safe from predators.

Flapping these simple wings

gives the chicks a little extra lift,

to help them climb into a tree.

And when the time comes

to return to the ground,

those first feathers again, are a help.

They don't provide a large

air-catching surface,

but they're enough to slow a chick's fall,

and make that landing,

just a little softer.

Maybe the feathers that had

initially kept the dinosaurs warm,

now also helped them to get into the air.

And then, only a few years ago,

the mudstones of Liaoning produced

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes