Sentences with phrase «modern birds evolved»

For decades, one theory dominated the world of paleontology: Modern birds evolved from a wide - ranging group of dinosaurs called theropods, of which the Tyrannosaurus rex was one.

Meanwhile, the lineage of modern birds evolved «huge chest muscles and wings comprised of many different types of feathers layered over each other» — features essential to high - powered flight, Brusatte explains.

Not exact matches

There have been suggestions that modern mammals and birds evolved in upland areas, cooler areas, and that's why birds and mammals developed control of their body temperatures.

Birds evolved modern traits, including the ability to fly well and wade in water, surprisingly early

In contrast, modern birds, which evolved from dinosaurs, have much shorter stubs of tails called pygostyles, formed by fusing several vertebrae.

Most scientists agree that birds evolved from small dinosaurs at least 150 million years ago, and the earliest known birds have wings and feathers that look much like those of modern birds.