Feathered dragon' from the dinosaur era: A bird with a tail twice as long as its body

Researchers have unveiled a remarkable new species of fossil bird from the dinosaur era, distinguished by its extraordinarily long tail feathers. Dubbed Plumadraco bankoorum, meaning "feathered dragon," this ancient creature lived approximately 121 million years ago during the Cretaceous period.

The discovery, published in the scientific journal "PLOS One," was made by Alex Clark of the Field Museum in Chicago. While examining fossils at the Shandong Tianyu Museum of Natural History in China, Clark noticed the unusual tail feathers. "I saw this little guy and I just shuddered when I noticed the tail feathers," Clark stated. "I'm very interested in the way birds present themselves to attract mates, and I thought these tail feathers were so unusual that they must have served that purpose."

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I saw this little guy and I just shuddered when I noticed the tail feathers. I'm very interested in the way birds present themselves to attract mates, and I thought these tail feathers were so unusual that they must have served that purpose.

Plumadraco was roughly the size of an American robin, but its tail feathers measured about 30 centimeters (12 inches) long – twice the length of its body. Scientists hypothesize that these elongated feathers, which had stiffened central shafts and a conical shape, were likely possessed by males and used in courtship displays. The feathers might have been moved back and forth in a "shimmering" motion to attract females.

Further analysis using a handheld mass spectrometer revealed insights into the bird's coloration. The chemical composition of the fossil suggests that Plumadraco's feathers were likely dark brown or black. It is also possible that the tips of these tail feathers featured an eye-catching color, such as iridescent blue, created by cellular structure rather than pigment.

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Plumadraco was the size of an American robin, but its tail feathers were about 30 cm long, twice as long as its body.