Archaeopteryx

Archaeopteryx gets its name from two Greek words: archaīos and ptéryx. Translated literally, its name means “ancient wing.”

Description and Size

Archaeopteryx gets its name from two Greek words: archaīos and ptéryx. Translated literally, its name means “ancient wing.” Some refer to this ancient bird by its German name, Urvogel, which means “first bird” or “original bird.” 

There are arguably two species within this genus: A. lithographica and A. siemensii. However, there is some disagreement within the scientific community about whether there are actually two unique species or just some variances within A. lithographica.

Whatever the case, Archaeopteryx would have been a small but fearsome sight today. Most of these birds would have been around the size of a typical raven or chicken. They measured approximately 20 inches in body length and weighed about 2 pounds.

Don’t let the small size of Archaeopteryx fool you because a couple of unique features these birds had compared to their modern ancestors is that they had a mouth full of teeth and a long, bony tail. It also had three claws on each of its wings that it likely used to grasp prey or possibly climb trees.

By using advanced technology like scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, researchers could analyze feather specimens and conclude that Archaeopteryx was most likely black with some slight variations throughout its plumage.

The presence of flight feathers tells us that this ancient bird was most likely able to fly to a certain degree. However, when we look at its smaller breastbone and how its shoulder joint is shaped, it’s unlikely it was a strong flier and couldn’t lift its wings above its back. Still, others argue that the presence of feathers was simply for temperature regulation, and the bird hadn’t evolved to use flight. So, we are left wondering whether this bird was a flapping flier, a glider, or just regulated its temperature with the feathers.

Other than a few differences, Archaeopteryx had much in common with modern birds. For example, their feather structure was very similar according to fossil records. And they also had flight feathers, a wishbone, and a partially reversed first toe. This is a big reason why early researchers believed that Archaeopteryx was the oldest bird and the link between dinosaurs and modern birds.

Key features of Archaeopteryx:

• About the size of a raven—20 inches long and around 2 pounds
• Had teeth and a bony tail
• Certain things in common with modern birds like flight feathers, a wishbone, and a partially reversed first toe
• Similar feather structure to modern birds

Diet – What Did Archaeopteryx Eat?

Even with several well-preserved specimens, we know little about what Archaeopteryx ate. Judging from its small, sharp teeth, it was most likely a carnivore. So, it probably fed on small reptiles, mammals, and insects.

It’s also possible that Archaeopteryx was an omnivore like many modern birds. So, it may have also included seeds, fruit, or berries in its diet.

Habitat – When and Where It lived

Being an ancient bird, we would assume that Archaeopteryx lived in forests. However, researchers have found most specimens in areas with no evidence of large trees. So, many believe that this bird spent most of its life on the ground or possibly in small shrubs. 

Judging by its skeleton, Archaeopteryx was well-adapted to life on the ground like many other modern birds are.

According to fossil dating, researchers believe that Archaeopteryx lived approximately 150 million years ago during the Late Jurassic period in what’s now Germany. Germany (and much of Europe) was underwater during this time. These regions were actually island chains in the Tethys Sea.

Threats And Predators

At the end of the Triassic Period, a mass extinction event led to almost all animal and plant life being wiped from the Earth. So, when Archaeopteryx showed up towards the end of the Jurassic Period, there likely wouldn’t have been many predators to hunt them.

Small animals for the Archaeopteryx would also have been plentiful, so there wouldn’t have been the threat of starvation. The problem is that the specimens we’ve recovered haven’t told us much about this ancient bird’s daily life.

One possible threat these bird-like dinosaurs likely faced was drowning. Because they were not strong fliers, they may have crashed into the sea surrounding their islands. They would probably have drowned quickly once their feathers became soaked.

Discoveries and Fossils – Where It was Found

In 1860, the first suspected Archaeopteryx specimen was found near Solnhofen, Germany. However, it was only a feather imprint, and there’s no confirmation that it was indeed from the bird in question.

However, an Archaeopteryx skeleton was found one year later near Langenaltheim, Germany. Even though it was missing most of the head and neck, it was clear this was a new genus. The main reason that this find was such a big deal is that it seemed to confirm Darwin’s origin of species theory. At the time, this skeleton was evidence of the oldest bird that was the link between dinosaurs and birds.

Throughout the years, 12 more Archaeopteryx specimens have been discovered in Germany, with the latest uncovered in 2010. Unfortunately, new discoveries have disproved the theory that this bird is the link we’ve been searching for. 

Xiaotingia zhengi was discovered in the Liaoning deposits in China, and the specimens predate Archaeopteryx by around 5 million years. This other dinosaur shares many of the bird-like characteristics of Archaeopteryx and confirms that birds did not come from the latter, but rather it was just another species in the line, leading up to modern birds.

Extinction – When Did It Die Out?

We don’t know why Archaeopteryx went extinct. There was a minor extinction event at the end of the Jurassic period. But to our knowledge, the larger stegosaurid and enormous sauropod dinosaurs were the main dinosaurs affected by this.

Our best estimate is that Archaeopteryx lived its life for many years and was eventually replaced as true birds evolved.

Similar Animals to the Archaeopteryx

• Xiaotingia: This is another genus of bird-like dinosaurs with one species: Xiaotingia zhengi. It shared many similarities like teeth and a hard, bony tail. However, it lived 5 to 10 million years before Archaeopteryx in China.
• Microraptor: The Microraptor was found throughout Asia. It lived approximately 125 to 120 million years ago. Its standout characteristics were that it actually had four wings. However, it did not have flight feathers like Archaeopteryx. It likely glided and had minimal flight capabilities.
• Chicken: The modern dinosaur-bird: the chicken. A large Archaeopteryx would have been about the same size. While there are some striking differences between the two, it’s not a huge stretch to imagine chickens coming from these ancient bird-like dinosaurs.