Strange Wing

April 29, 2015 5:40 PM

While scientists have long known that modern day birds are dinosaurs (a fact that is self-evident if you ever look at a cassowary), it now appears that birds were not the dinosaurs' only attempt at flight. It may have had feathers, but the recently discovered Yi qi ("Strange Wing") had wings like a bat.
posted by brundlefly (22 comments total)

I watched that bird stalk that guy for almost two full minutes and it didn't even attack him?? Disappointed.
posted by scottatdrake at 6:17 PM on April 29, 2015 [3 favorites]

And before anyone asks, Pterosaurs are not considered to be dinosaurs.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 6:21 PM on April 29, 2015 [7 favorites]

dragons
posted by Mizu at 6:25 PM on April 29, 2015 [2 favorites]

That cassowary could have gutted him with its big toe. That guy was either really brave or the other thing.
posted by Jernau at 6:27 PM on April 29, 2015 [2 favorites]

Wayneasaurus Bruceii
posted by Renoroc at 6:35 PM on April 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

I walk through a park with a pond on my way to work everyday. The pond features ducks, geese, and a pair of swans. Once every couple weeks I will walk too close to the swans and they will lower their heads and charge me. Despite being a fairly large individual, this never fails to fill me with terror. There is no doubt in my mind that swans are the descendants of dinosaurs. And I am thankful that they lack the teeth and size of their ancestors.
posted by Jawn at 6:35 PM on April 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

"dragons" tag added.
posted by brundlefly at 6:39 PM on April 29, 2015 [3 favorites]

wait i thought hope was the thing with feathers--
posted by not_on_display at 6:56 PM on April 29, 2015

See also: Sharovipteryx.
posted by sebastienbailard at 7:02 PM on April 29, 2015 [2 favorites]

Hope is the thing with patches of membrane tissue detected along the bone supports.
posted by nebulawindphone at 7:31 PM on April 29, 2015 [6 favorites]

sebastienbailard: See also: Sharovipteryx.

See also.
posted by brundlefly at 8:16 PM on April 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

Swans are assholes but they're still hollow boned. Can't take a punch.
posted by axiom at 8:29 PM on April 29, 2015 [2 favorites]

Ever have a goose honk madly??
posted by Mblue at 9:01 PM on April 29, 2015

This article about why the archaeopteryx fossils have those bent necks is cool.

Spoiler: tastes like chicken.
posted by gingerbeer at 9:01 PM on April 29, 2015 [2 favorites]

i had a goose attack me to today, it was traumatic, they could totally be dinos
posted by PinkMoose at 9:33 PM on April 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

Jawn, swans are indeed jerks
posted by tigrrrlily at 10:04 PM on April 29, 2015 [1 favorite]

There's a definite whiff of the prehistoric about the silhouette of a pelican in flight.
posted by flabdablet at 11:50 PM on April 29, 2015 [2 favorites]

Ever have a goose honk madly??

What you do in the privacy of your own bedroom is no concern of ours.

(So long as the goose is a consenting partner, of course).
posted by yoink at 8:58 AM on April 30, 2015

It always weirds me out when swans hiss. This guy copes by always having a Swan Bag handy. Cracks me up when he walks in to the vets with it.
posted by BoscosMom at 9:42 AM on April 30, 2015

> There's a definite whiff of the prehistoric about the silhouette of a pelican in flight.

Yes. I have a tendency to refer to them as pterodactyls for that reason.
posted by gingerbeer at 11:28 AM on April 30, 2015 [2 favorites]

I really like this rendering of Yi qi.
posted by brundlefly at 11:29 AM on April 30, 2015

Bats don't soar like eagles yet still manage to fly.
posted by tommasz at 12:39 PM on April 30, 2015