[News] Birds Survived Mass Extinction That Wiped Out Dinosaurs Because Of Their Larger Brain

[Moontanman]

Birds Survived Mass Extinction That Wiped Out Dinosaurs Because Of Their Larger Brains

ScienceDaily (Jan. 28, 2009) — The Cretaceous–Tertiary mass extinction 65 million years ago may have wiped out the dinosaurs, but those that survived – the ancestors of today’s birds – may have done so because of their bird brains.

 

Birds Survived Mass Extinction That Wiped Out Dinosaurs Because Of Their Larger Brains

[Pyrotex]

Well, maybe. But remember that those ancient birds could also fly. (DUHH!) Which meant they could cover more territory and do it faster in their search for very scarce food, as compared to their ground-hugging kin. And flying well probably required a bigger brain.

[Moontanman]

Well, maybe. But remember that those ancient birds could also fly. (DUHH!) Which meant they could cover more territory and do it faster in their search for very scarce food, as compared to their ground-hugging kin. And flying well probably required a bigger brain.

 

The pterodactyls and the bird groups that didn't survive could also fly but had smaller brains.

[Pyrotex]

The pterodactyls and the bird groups that didn't survive could also fly but had smaller brains.

Yes. I read that.

That's why I underlined the word "well". :coffee_n_pc: :cup:

[Moontanman]

Yes. I read that.

That's why I underlined the word "well". :coffee_n_pc: :cup:

 

I'll have to take exception to that as well, pterodactyls almost certainly flew as well as modern birds, possibly better considering how huge they were and had to over come a much worse lift to weight problem. And more primitive birds also flew, I 've never seen any evidence that indicated they flew any less well than more modern birds. They had teeth and tails but they flew the same as any other birds as far as I have been able to learn.

[Pyrotex]

...pterodactyls almost certainly flew as well as modern birds, possibly better...I 've never seen any evidence that indicated they flew any less well than more modern birds....

All you've said is that you have seen no evidence to support my statement.

I say you have no evidence to the contrary.

In the absence of evidence either way, I am compelled to assume that the FIRST "bird-lizards" to start using their feathered limbs to glide, and then to fly, were almost certainly lacking some the sophisticated talents exhibited by true birds today. Body size, mass, claws, etc, do not indicate otherwise. Even today, we have birds (scissor-tailed thrush, red-tailed hawk) that can fly much better than others (pelican, blue-footed booby).

 

And what is "better"? IMHO, this would include the ability to fly in turbulent air, ability to make high-G high-speed maneuvers, ability to fly through dense tree branches, ability to accomplish complex aerial tricks like vertical attack dives of the hawk, and the "mating flights" of ravens, where they lock talons in midair and spiral downward together, a trick requiring an awesome amount of intelligent teamwork.

[Moontanman]

All you've said is that you have seen no evidence to support my statement.

I say you have no evidence to the contrary.

In the absence of evidence either way, I am compelled to assume that the FIRST "bird-lizards" to start using their feathered limbs to glide, and then to fly, were almost certainly lacking some the sophisticated talents exhibited by true birds today. Body size, mass, claws, etc, do not indicate otherwise. Even today, we have birds (scissor-tailed thrush, red-tailed hawk) that can fly much better than others (pelican, blue-footed booby).

 

And what is "better"? IMHO, this would include the ability to fly in turbulent air, ability to make high-G high-speed maneuvers, ability to fly through dense tree branches, ability to accomplish complex aerial tricks like vertical attack dives of the hawk, and the "mating flights" of ravens, where they lock talons in midair and spiral downward together, a trick requiring an awesome amount of intelligent teamwork.

 

I see what you are saying, more primitive birds like the first flying dinosaurs had pretty much been pushed out by real birds and pterodactyls by the Cretaceous. I wasn't referring to the very primitive birds and it's my fault but when I said primitive, I wasn't talking about archyopterix. Primitive birds with teeth and tails were still real birds, they were very much advanced beyond the first flying Dino's and lizards, the teeth and tails were primitive attributes compared to modern birds but their flying abilities were still advanced as any other flying animal of the time.

[Pyrotex]

Of the time.

Yes. Very likely true. I agree.