Are Birds a form of Dinosaur??

Question

Just curious...

Answer 1

It really depends on how you define things. The simplest early birds are very similar to the more bird-like small theropods, so it is possible for you to define birds as a sub-set of dinosaurs. As far as I know, though, birds are generally considered to be different enough to be grouped into their own separate category. Part of the problem is that the fossil evidence we have is not sufficient to show us that the similarities are more than just 'bone-deep' as it were. We have a number of indications that bird-like dinosaurs were moderate- to high-metabolism animals, but as far as I know, they're all still considered to be in the category Paraves, with Aves being a Class of their own. Being descendants does not of course mean that you are still in the ancestral group, a concept that still gives many otherwise intelligent people fits. Reptiles, for instance, are derived from amphibians, which in turn are descended from fish. It helps that we have modern, living examples of these groups to compare and contrast, unlike the bird/dinosaur situation. Still, every time I watch a Mockingbird attacking a snake or large insect on the ground, I can't help but see it as a small theropod; but that's a personal and not a scientific determination.

Answer 2

Birds are avian dinosaurs; other dinosaurs are non-avian dinosaurs, and (strange as it may sound) birds are technically considered reptiles. Overly technical? Just semantics? Perhaps, but still good science. In fact, the evidence is overwhelmingly in favor of birds being the descendants of a maniraptoran dinosaur, probably something similar (but not identical) to a small dromaeosaur

Answer 3

Yes , birds evolved from small dinosaurs.

Answer 4

Yes, the archeopteryx is very much in between birds and dinosaur, just google it.

Answer 5

Usually we know that aves are having flight ,but we know that dinosours are very large and they can lay eggs also ,this same charecterisic is seen in birds also.so we can assume that dinos are oviparous.There is a connecting link in between these two that is Archioptrics .

Answer 6

WELL `ive met 1 a 2 on me travels``??

Answer 7

Probably not....birds are too different....acheopterix wasn't a bird, cause birds don't have 4 wings.

Answer 8

They say the closest living relative of the Tyrannosaurus is the chicken!!!

Answer 9

Yes, you had the dodo, pteradactyl, Dinornis, Moa.....