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Re: origin of birds



> With respect to the dinosaurian origin of birds, Feduccia says:

> "If Archaeopteryx lived in trees, it means that it evolved not from
> dinosaurs as most paleontologists currently believe, but from some
> tree-dwelling reptile, since dinosaurs lived on land and not in trees".

How do we know that dinosaurs did not "live" in trees? Perhaps small carnivores
like Deinonychus could climb short distances into trees to make a meal of
snakes and whatever else was in trees at that time (lizards? mammals? Certainly
Archeopteryx). In fact, this is the only plausible explanation for the
evolution of flight that I can swallow: escape from predators. If Archie was not
a true flier, but just a glider, why would it expend a lot of energy to climb
high into trees just to glide down again? For recreation? Not. Gliding would be
a powerful evolutionary solution to escape from predators (like tree-climbing
Deinonychus?) just as flying squirrels of today glide to escape predators such
as tree-climbing snakes.
(Yes, I know that Deinonychus is probably the wrong genus to use as an example
here, but I don't know of a better one to suggest, although I'm sure they exist)

Disclaimer: My opinions are strictly my own, and even I don't always agree with
them!