Ancient bird’s long tail feathers were perfect for a mating dance
New Guinea’s tropical rainforests are home to one of the animal kingdom’s most spectacular courtship rituals, with male birds of paradise prancing about and showing off their plumage, hoping to attract a female. But, as a new fossil from China indicates, such behavior in birds may date back to the age of dinosaurs. Researchers said the fossil discovered in northeastern China of a newly identified pigeon-sized bird species called Plumadraco bankoorum that lived about 121 mil
A fossil discovered in China reveals a pigeon-sized bird species, Plumadraco bankoorum, that lived approximately 121 million years ago. This ancient bird possessed tail feathers twice the length of its body, suggesting they were used for elaborate mating displays. Researchers hypothesize, based on the feather length and skeletal anatomy, that males likely performed up-and-down movements with their tails to attract females.
This discovery provides evidence that complex courtship behaviors involving ornamental plumage may have existed in birds as far back as the age of dinosaurs.
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