London - Feathers initially evolved to keep birds warm rather than to let them fly, a study said on Thursday.
Researchers found that the
feathers on birds’ dinosaur ancestors were arranged in multiple layers
to act as insulation and preserve heat.
It was not until millions of years
later that they began to evolve for display and camouflage – and then
finally to allow the animals to fly.
The study, by the universities of
Bristol, Yale and Calgary, found that prehistoric birds had rigid layers
of feathers which could be used for limited gliding.
These evolved into highly effective feathered wings which could rapidly change their shape, span and area.
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