Sparkly Dinosaur?

Fossil evidence suggests that a bird that lived 120 million years ago had iridescent feathers that it may have used to attract mate.

15:53 17 November 2016

A prehistoric bird that lived during the Age of the Dinosaurs had iridescent feathers, which scientists believed was used to attract mate. The bird’s fossils were recently found in China with its feather’s “remarkably preserved” including the chemical that gave them sparkle. 

 

Lead researcher Dr Jennifer Peteya of the University of Akron, Ohio, US, said: "Many enantiornithine birds possessed ornate feathers,"

 

"This new specimen shows that some enantiornithines also had iridescent feathers and unlike most modern birds, these flashy ornaments developed before the animal was fully grown."

 

"Although this particular individual was a very young adult, its tail feathers were already long and formed a kind of streamer," said Dr Walsh, who is not connected with the research.

 

"Again, this kind of extravagant feather array, like the tail feathers of peacocks, is usually used for mate attraction.

 

"It seems this bird was an adolescent out on its first attempt to 'pull', so to speak."