The Airborne Pterosaur
In The Airborne Pterosaur, naturalist Steve Backshall looks at this group of winged creatures that are sometimes called "flying dinosaurs." Their wing mechanism and bone structure are compared with animals that are alive today to explain how the large reptile predators thrived. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Deadly Dinosaurs, a documentary series in which host Steve Backshall is on the hunt for the deadliest animals to have walked the Earth — dinosaurs — exploring features of several species and putting their abilities to the test to reveal the raw power of these creatures.
Lesson Express
Q: Even though these reptiles were birdlike, to which modern-day animal were the flying reptiles more similar?
A: They actually were more similar to bats than birds.
Q: How were the large Pterosaurs able to fly?
A: Their chest muscles were large and they had a strong sternum (the vertical bone in the chest), giving them support and strength.
Q: What does wingspan refer to?
A: Wingspan means the measurement of wings from tip to tip. The wingspan of the Pterosaur was superlong at around 28 feet (8.5 meters), which is the approximate length of a bus!
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In Hatzegopteryx, Monster of the Skies, naturalist Steve Backshall investigates the largest creature to ever take flight! Plus, see how this dinosaur compares with a real flying object in the skies today. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Deadly Dinosaurs, a documentary series in which host Steve Backshall is on the hunt for the deadliest animals to have walked the Earth — dinosaurs — exploring features of several species and putting their abilities to the test to reveal the raw power of these creatures.
In Hatzegopteryx, Monster of the Skies, naturalist Steve Backshall investigates the largest creature to ever take flight! Plus, see how this dinosaur compares with a real flying object in the skies today. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Deadly Dinosaurs, a documentary series in which host Steve Backshall is on the hunt for the deadliest animals to have walked the Earth — dinosaurs — exploring features of several species and putting their abilities to the test to reveal the raw power of these creatures.