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5.28.2008

Why gigantic winged dinosaurs preferred hunting on FOOT

An artist's impression showing the scale between a human and an azhdarchid

It seems even gigantic winged dinosaurs thought flying was for the birds.

New research released today shows that flying dinosaurs were just as happy hunting on foot as they were in the air.

Researchers at the University of Portsmouth have found that pterosaurs did not just gather food by swooping on fish from the water like gulls.

But they claim the azhdarchid type of pterosaur, which lived between 65 and 230 million years ago, were more likely to stalk their prey on foot.

azhdarchids
Artists' impressions of winged azhdarchids, that lived between 65 and 230 million years ago. They were as happy on foot as in the air

Dr Darren Naish and Mark Witton said that they had come to their conclusion after studying the anatomy of the azhdarchid, their footprints and the distribution of fossils.

Dr Naish said: "Azhdarchids first became reasonably well known in the 1970s, but how they lived has been the subject of much debate.

Read the rest on the DailyMail.