Fun Archaeopteryx Facts For Kids

Archaeopteryx, also known as Urvogel (German) was a dino-bird or reptile that belonged to the clade Avialae and family Archaeopterygidae. It is an intermediate form between dinosaurs and birds and the earliest known bird. The most important discovery is the specimen of Archaeopteryx lithographic, discovered in the Solnhofem Limestone bed of Germany.

It is a well-preserved fossil. One poorly preserved feathered skeleton of an urvogel was primarily defined as the skeleton of a tiny bipedal dinosaur, Compsognathus. Now, paleontologists have classified it as a Maniraptora.

Urgovels may have evolved from small carnivore dinosaurs as they had sharp teeth, a long bony tail, a flat sternum, and gastralia sharp nails on the wing that could have been used to capture prey in trees. It also had features of modern birds such as feathers, wings, and reduced fingers.

Feathers may have evolved as an insulator and were later used for flight. The origin of flight and the flight abilities of urvogel dinosaurs are disputed.

Two evolutionary models of flight have been proposed. The first one is the 'tree down' model, according to which the birds evolved from their ancestors that thrived on trees and could fly or most probably glide, similar to today's flying squirrels.

According to the second 'ground-up model', the ancestors survived on the ground and made a huge leap. Their flight may have evolved from agile theropods like Deinonychus'.

To know more about other rare animals, you can also visit these Xenotarsosaurus and Ludodactylus pages.

Archaeopteryx Interesting Facts

How do you pronounce 'Archaeopteryx'?

Archaeopteryx pronunciation is 'aar-kee-awp-tuh-ruhks'.

What type of dinosaur was an Archaeopteryx?

Archaeopteryx was a bird-like dinosaur species, also known by its German name Urvogel, which means 'original bird' or 'first bird'. The name of this creature is derived from the ancient Greek word 'archaios', which means 'ancient', and pteryx, which means 'feather' or 'wing'.

Scientists considered it to be the oldest known bird and a member of the group Avialae. After that, various other members of the group have been found such as Anchiornis, Xiaotingia, and Aurornis.

Paleontologists believed that it was the started the evolutionary tree of birds.

It had all the features that define a bird such as long and strong front limbs. Moreover, in previous years, the discovery of various small, feathered dinosaurs has produced secrecy for paleontologists, creating questions about which animals are the ancestors of modern birds.

Most of the fossils have feather marks. As these flying feathered dinosaurs belong to radical forms, these specimens show that the evolution of feathers started before the Late Jurassic.

The Archaeopteryx lithographica was found about two years after Charles Darwin published his scientific literature 'On The Origin Of Species'. The Archaeopteryx appeared and was discovered to verify Darwin's theory and has since become the key proof for the origin of birds, the transitional fossil discussion, and the establishment of evolution.

In which geological period did the Archaeopteryx live?

The Archaeopteryx dinosaur lived in the Late Jurassic Era about 150 million years ago.

When did Archaeopteryx become extinct?

The Archaeopteryx became extinct in the Jurassic era (206 million to 180 million years ago), but they appear to have produced larger and more specialized sauropod dinosaurs. Until the end of the Cretaceous era, they remained one of the major groups of dinosaurs.

Where did an Archaeopteryx live?

Archaeopteryx dinosaurs thrived in the Late Jurassic Period, in what is today south Germany. In 1860, a separate feather was discovered in Germany.

It was the primary fossil of Archaeopteryx but it was not uncovered until 1861. In 1863, this animal was named by naturalist Richard Owen. Scientists now believe that the single feather found in Germany probably belonged to a completely different but closely related genus, which has not been discovered.

Archaeopteryx fossils are surprisingly well preserved. In Germany, the Solnhofem limestone beds are well-known for their magnificent detailed specimens of flora and fauna. These specimens revealed a large number of anatomical details of fossilized animals.

Fossils of the small dinosaur Compsognathus and the early Pterodactylus have also been unearthed in the bed of the Solnhofem region. Many specimens have been placed at the Natural History Museum in London, England.

What was an Archaeopteryx's habitat?

The Archaeopteryx habitat was probably arboreal. This creature was probably a glider, indicating the tree-bound or arboreal lifestyle.

However, if capable of powered flight, this dinosaur would have tracked small prey along the shorts of lakes and rivers, like many modern birds, It is even possible that, although far from proven, the first primitive birds learned to fly by descending from trees.

Who did an Archaeopteryx live with?

Whether an Urvogel lived alone, in pairs, or groups is unknown. However, it would have lived with other types of animals or other flying dinosaurs.

How long did an Archaeopteryx live?

The lifespan of an Archaeopteryx is still unknown. It wentextinct about 150 million years ago.

How did they reproduce?

There is no information available about the reproduction methods of an Urvogel. Although, it is assumed that it would have been reproduced by laying eggs, just like modern birds.

Archaeopteryx Fun Facts

What did an Archaeopteryx look like?

According to the study of the Archaeopteryx fossil, the length of this animal could be around 20 in (50 cm) long, from head to tail. The size was equal to be that of a Eurasian magpie or raven.

The Archaeopteryx lithographica is the most significant and complete specimen found today. It had wide wings with circular ends and a tail, longer than its body length.

With the small size and wide wings, it had the ability to fly or most probably glide. It had more common features similar to Mesozoic dinosaurs than with modern birds.

In general, it shared several characteristics with theropods, particularly troodontids and dromaeosaurids, such as sharp teeth, a bony tail, three fingers with claws, plumage, and several features of the skeleton. The Archaeopteryx teeth specimen is well-preserved.

The three fingers displayed claws and moved individually, unlike the combined fingers of most living birds. All these features make the Urvogel animal a clear individual for a transitional fossil between non-avian dinosaurs and birds.

It plays a significant role in the study of the origin of birds. It was named based on the single feather fossil found in 1861. However, the first entire specimen was also discovered in the same year.

The complete Archaeopteryx skull has been found. Over time, 10 more fossils have been found. These fossils show variation among them.

However, some paleontologists believed that all the discovered specimens belong to a single species, which is still controversial. Some people still think that this oldest dino-bird was much bigger than it actually was, around the size of distantly related pterosaurs.

Also, the weight of this feathered reptile was less than 2 lb (0.9 kg). It was around the size of a modern-day pigeon. The Archaeopteryx color was black, or at least some of the plumage or feathers were black.

How many bones did an Archaeopteryx have?

The exact number of bones in the Urvogel is unknown.

How did they communicate?

Urvogel birds could have communicated through sounds and body behaviors, similar to modern birds.

How big was an Archaeopteryx?

The Archaeopteryx size was 19.68 in (50 cm), which is slightly larger than a giant kingfisher.

How fast could an Archaeopteryx move?

The flying speed of an Urvogel is unknown. However, the feathers of this animal or bird were probably unsuited for powered flight.

According to scientific study, the feathers of this bird were weaker than those of modern birds of the same size, indicating that it probably used to glide rather than fly powerfully with its wings.

However, not all scientists agree, some argue that the bird weighed far less than the most broadly accepted estimates, and therefore may have been proficient in powered flight.

How much did an Archaeopteryx weigh?

The weight range of the Archaeopteryx bird was between 1.8-2.2 lb (0.8 to 1 kg), which is 10 times bigger than a barn owl.

What were the male and female names of the species?

No specific names have been given to describe the male and female Urvogel species.

What would you call a baby Archaeopteryx?

A baby Urvogel would be called a hatchling, chick, or young, just like modern bird babies.

What did they eat?

The Archaeopteryx diet is not known. However, it is believed that they were carnivores and probably fed on small amphibians, reptiles, insects, and mammals.

This avian could capture small prey with its jaws and probably used sharp claws to clasp larger prey. Some recent research shows that the nestlings needed around three years to mature to adult size indicating a slower growth and development rate present than in modern birds.

Therefore, it is considered that the Urvogel had a warm-blooded metabolism and was less energetic than its modern relatives. This is another reason that it was probably not capable of powered flight.

How aggressive were they?

Not much information is available related to the aggressiveness and other behaviors of the Urvogel.

Did you know...

The Urvogel is not a direct ancestor of living birds. According to paleontologists, living birds evolved from multiple feathered creatures during the Mesozoic epoch. During this time, the four-winged Microraptor thrived which depicted a dead end in the evolution of birds. They resembled birds like crowned eagles and vultures.

Did the Archaeopteryx have hollow bones? Why?

The Urvogel evolved flight, several million years ago. Its ancestors produced hollow bones that would give later descendants, as well as flying creatures, the lightweight skeletons they required to get off the ground. This feature made them swifter and more agile.

How was the Archaeopteryx like a reptile?

The Urgovel had a coat of feathers, beak, a wishbone, bony tail, three claws, two wings, and teeth. These are reptile features that are not present in any living birds. It is an excellent example of a 'transitional form' that connects its ancestral group to its descendants.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly prehistoric animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other creatures from our Haopterus fun facts and Europejara facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Archaeopteryx coloring pages.

Main image by Durbed

Second image by Drow male