Methods of studying early theropod flight

Abstract

The study of early theropod flight involves avialans as well as other pennaraptorans. It requires the study of anatomy that is familiar to the modern ornithologist, but also very different and alien. Early theropod flight therefore necessitates study methods that can incorporate what we know about sophisticated powered and unpowered flight in living birds while being mindful of the differences between them and the earliest theropod flyers. In this chapter we will survey key methods and approaches, covering their best-practice applications along the timeline of early theropod flight evolution and priorities for future method development.