Microraptor

dinosaurs · feathered · four wings · predator

Four amazing wings. Unlike modern birds, Microraptor had feathers on all four limbs, making it look like it had two pairs of wings instead of one. This strange design gave it an incredible advantage when hunting and moving through its forest home.

Perfectly preserved fossils. Scientists found many well-preserved Microraptor skeletons in Liaoning, China, which helped them understand exactly how this dinosaur looked and lived. These fossils are so detailed that researchers can even see the outline of its feathers in the rock.

Super tiny dinosaur. Microraptor was much smaller than most dinosaurs you might think of, about the size of a pigeon or a large hawk. Despite its small size, it was a fierce little predator with sharp claws and teeth.

Early Cretaceous hunter. Microraptor lived 125 to 120 million years ago during the Cretaceous period, in a time when dinosaurs still ruled the Earth. It hunted smaller animals through the lush forests of ancient China.