how did birds evolve the wing?

Question

evolution of the wing would have taken millions of years. they wouldnt be able to fly so they would have a hollow arm what would be useless and it would have put the bird at an dissadvantage for survival

so why did it evolve to be dissadvantaged for millions of years

Answer 1

I have taken many evolution courses in my college years and I will do my best to provide the full story for the evolution of the wing.

First of all one must know that birds evolved from dinosaurs. There were dinosaurs that had feathers, such as the velociraptor and even Tyrannosaurus rex. The reason that many scientists believed that this one group of dinosaurs called the Theropods evolved feathers is to keep them warm, because it is also believed that these dinosaurs regulated their internal body temperature, just like mammals and birds do. Also these Theropod dinosaurs had hollowed bones. The bones are not completely hollow it is just that the bones are not completely solid. I have held a raptor femur and it was much lighter than I expected it to be, but the bone is still strong and would not have put the raptor at a disadvantage for survival.
So hollow bones and feathers were already around. Some dinosaurs such as the velociraptor had large flaps of skin under their arms. The raptors did not use the flaps for any sort of flight because they were so large. Yet, it is beleived that a small type of feathered dinosaur with a flap of skin under their arm lived in the trees. This small dinosaur then used the flaps of skin under its arm, with the feathers that create an aerodynamic surface, to glide between trees. Over time natural selection selected for individuals that developed musculature in the flaps of skin under the arm, which then evolved into the wing. Selection also selected for more hollow bones and for the greater presence of feathers in their wings.

As a side note: Do not accept everything you see in Jurassic park. The T-rex was slow and would move at 10 mph max or it would have had to be much larger to support leg muscles for land speed. Also T-rexs had feathers near their tale. Raptors are also covered in feathers.

Answer 2

They inherited them from non-birdy dinosaurs, which had already evolved wings. Microraptor gui charmingly preserves wings on both the arms and the legs. What became wings presumably started out as something else such as aids for balance when running. "I don't see how wings could've slowly developed while giving an advantage over those without wings." A bit of better balance, thus more control.

Answer 3

How useful are the stubby dinosaur arms on the bipedal dinosaurs?

A small feathered dinosaur would do better in colder conditions since it would not require as much energy to maintain body temperature. The problem would be getting rid of excess heat in warm conditions. A flattened arm, like a rabbit's ear, could provide the surface area. Eventually the flattened arm would gain use in gliding. The muscles would evolve, by natural selection, for better control of gliding. They would reach a point where wing assisted jumps were possible, and finally, true flight.

Answer 4

Of course birds evolved dear. I have been reading all those crazy answers and no one seams to know what they are talking about. I suspect at first birds might have evolved like penguins using their rudimentary wings for swimming as they evolved their wings grew larger and stronger and their body's grew smaller they begin to jump and find their wing power could lift them off the ground. As they continued to evolve over generations they found that they could fly. Swimming or flight is not a disadvantage for an animal. Don't be trying to disprove evolution dear. Where did you hear it took millions of years for a bird to evolve? Man has only been around about 60 thousand years it didn't take him that long to loose his tail. Thank you kisses Betty.

Answer 5

If evolution is to be taken as fact, it probably started out with winged animals who had normal, dense bones and stronger pectoral muscles. With evolution, you'd expect to have some creatures with a combination of wing/arms or scale/feathers. I guess there are always discoveries yet to be made. Heck... maybe humans are a billion years old, yet no one has been able to find those bones. We'll see what happens... or not.

Answer 6

I'm not sure of your reasoning. Manta rays and other "flying" fish have underwater "wings." It's possible that a small, lightweight marine creature with large fins was able to flap about on land and evolve quickly into something that could fly.

Answer 7

Imagine the dinosaur equivalent of a flying squirrel. Flying squirrels aren't particularly disadvantaged, are they?

Answer 8

It is my understanding they evolved to survive. Land creatures, spiders, dinosaurs etc... would eat them if they could not move around and past them, hence their wings...

Answer 9

Darwin's theory of evolution is just a theory.No one can prove whether it's right or wrong.All living creatures have disadvantages ;)

Answer 10

I invented birds