Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs were the first animals with backbones to fly. They were not dinosaurs but lived at the same time. They ruled the skies for over 150 million years. Some were tiny, and some were as big as small airplanes!

Wings of Skin

Pterosaur wings were made of skin stretched between their bodies and a very long fourth finger. This is different from birds, which have feathered wings. Their bones were hollow and lightweight. Some pterosaurs had wingspans of over 30 feet. The biggest, Quetzalcoatlus, was as tall as a giraffe!

Many Kinds

There were over 200 species of pterosaurs. Some had teeth and caught fish. Others had no teeth and ate whatever they could find. Some had fancy crests on their heads. The smallest pterosaur was about the size of a sparrow. They lived on every continent.

Fun Facts

• The biggest pterosaur, Quetzalcoatlus, had a wingspan of 36 feet — bigger than many small planes.
• Pterosaurs are not dinosaurs, even though they lived at the same time.
• Some baby pterosaurs could fly almost as soon as they hatched.

Did You Know?

Pterosaurs flew for over 150 million years before they went extinct. That is about 750 times longer than humans have been around! They were the true masters of the prehistoric sky.