Lately it has been stated that birds evolved from a group of dinosaurs called maniraptor theropods, small carnivorous dinosaurs such as Velociraptor. There is a wealth of evidence from different sources showing that birds evolved from carnivorous dinosaurs that lived during the Mesozoic era. The main source of evidence to support this scientific view is the similarity in shape of bird bones and many maniraptoran bones, but remarkable new discoveries have included further evidence. One involves many characteristics of the eggs of these dinosaurs. Many fossils revealed that not only did maniraptorans behave like birds when they laid eggs, but that the eggs also resembled bird eggs. Another set of evidence involves a handful of images that help us understand the behavior of maniraptoran theropods. Even fossils showing animals brooding or resting are strikingly similar to the behaviors of living birds. However, perhaps the most interesting new line of evidence comes from the discovery of soft tissue identified as belonging to the skeletons of these predatory dinosaurs: it is now known that many of the fossils of these creatures were covered by plumage. This evidence highlights the fact that many features thought to be limited to bird feathers or forks have been discovered in the dinosaur ancestor of birds. Even flight was probably a gift given to birds by maniraptorans! If the new fossils have clarified the old controversial topic of the origin of birds, other fossils have offered vivid testimony to early avian evolution. Buried in these fossils are the secrets of how birds perfected their flying skills and how they developed warm blood. Today, known to...... middle of paper......ng fish. Of course, not all birds that lived during the Mesozoic era, the era of the large dinosaurs, seemed as unknown as Archeopteryx, Confuciusornis and Esperornis. The first representatives of today's birds can be found even in this remote era of our past. On several continents, Late Cretaceous source rocks began to provide the remains of early shorebirds, ducks, and other birds. They were the ancestors of the true heirs of the magnificent dinosaurs that traveled the Earth a long time ago, millions of years, in fact. If nothing else it is certain that humans evolved from apes, but that evolution is surely real, for there is inescapable evidence that the birds we know today evolved from the thunder lizards of the past. Works Cited http://www.nhm. org/site/research-collections/dinosaur-institute/dinosaurs/birds-late-evolution-dinosaurs