Introduction to our Museum..

The museum itself has been put together over the last twelve months to demonstrate the evolution of bird flight highlighting the similarities with ancient birds and there distant cousins the dinosaurs. The evolution of the feather was fundamental to the eventual development of the hundreds of bird species we see around us today.

Rather than offer our interpretation of what we believe to be the logical evolutionary path we have attempted to gather as much current information as possible and have presented it in a way that asks the question. Intelligent Design, Evolution or something else.

The exhibits on show represent a comprehensive cross section of relevant fossil remains and artistic interpretations of the possible living animals size weight and physiology. Colour however is totally personal (no evidence is available on colouration) we have used similar living creatures to replicate likely skin and feather colour.

We show life size representations of what are widely believed to be the earliest ancestors of birds, animals with almost identical skeletons, but no feathers, animals with hollow quill like fur and birds with four wings (feathered legs and arms). Dinosaurs with feathers and birds with teeth.

We have a life size representation of the largest egg (Aepyornis) ever laid the largest single cell ever and according to the experts and the largest egg that could ever be as if the shell where any thicker the bird would not be able to hatch any larger and the egg would shatter under its own weight. In contrast we have a full scale likeness of the Cuban Bee Humming Bird who’s eggs are 32.000 times smaller than Aepyornis and thought to be the smallest eggs ever laid. We have a full scale representation of the mighty

killer birds ( Diatrama and Gastrornis ) 9 feet tall that could run at 40mph and snap the head off of a horse. A Teratorn argentavis magnificens with a 26 foot wingspan one of its feathers over 5 feet long and a copy of the original bone that identified it.

Life size example of a Pteranodon skeleton with a 24 foot wingspan, a filter feeding pink Pterosaur, extinct Owls, Eagles , Dodo, We show one of the smallest brains in the animal kingdom belonged to one of the largest creatures ever to have walked the planet the huge Saurapod Diplodocus. A walnut size brain and football size egg.

A life size Velociraptor in all its menacing glory !

Show a Haast Eagle attacking its primary prey the giant Moa

A life sized representation of Troodon and a possible evolutionary conclusion.

We show evidence from the University of Sweden that contrary to popular belief grass was available to Dinosaurs

Describe how the first ever identified fossil was found close by in West Sussex by a local doctor Dr. Gidion Mantel or more correctly his wife Mary Ann Mantel.

Follow the life story of one of the greatest fossil hunters in history a lady by the name of Mary Anning who lived in Lyme Bay struck by lightning as a child in her pram killing her nanny but surviving to dedicate her life to fossil collecting in and around her native Dorset home.

Dr Gideon Mantel	Mary Anning

And more much more. Plus watch modern day raptors flying free in the falconry centre, if you are lucky have one fly to your glove!

Our Falconry Centre

Click here to visit our Falconry Centre pages for more information on our
Falconry Display
Hawks and Owls
Falconry Courses
Falconry Days

Wophams Lane
Birdham
West Sussex
PO20 7BS
Tel: 01243-512472
Fax: 01243-512730

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