Archaeopteryx may have achieved sustainable flight speed by using two or three powerful hind-leg leaps rather than a single jump, according to new research published on August 5, 2026, in Developmental Biology. Living about 150 million years ago, the reptile-like creature combined traits of non-avian dinosaurs and modern birds, presenting scientists with a century-old mystery regarding how its restricted shoulder movement and lack of a keeled breastbone enabled takeoff.
How Powerful Hind Legs Solved the Takeoff Problem
Scientists at the University of Southampton investigated how the mid-sized, 400-gram Archaeopteryx got airborne despite anatomical limitations that prevented its wings from lifting high above its back. According to Professor of Biomechanics Markus Heller, the animal could not rely on its wings for an initial launch due to its lack of a keeled sternum. Instead, researchers discovered that the legs generated the necessary force before the wings took over.
Previous theories suggested early birds launched by flapping while running uphill or gliding down from elevated points like trees and cliffs. To test mechanical alternatives, researchers built on observations made by the late Dr. Colin Palmer, combining computer modeling with anatomical measurements from living bird species such as gulls, magpies, crows, and finches. By analyzing forces at the hip, knee, and ankle alongside muscle capacity, the team evaluated how quickly the animal could launch.
“Archaeopteryx is the first real bird,” explains Dr. Neil Gostling, a paleobiologist at the University of Southampton. “It was covered in feathers and possessed wings, but also retained a number of distinctly dinosaur features, such as a long bony tail, claws on separate fingers, and teeth in a beakless jaw. It wasn’t a particularly well-developed ‘bird’ compared to those we know today.”
Reaching Flight Speed Through Successive Jumps
Lead researcher Dr. Erik Meilak, a former PhD researcher at the University of Southampton who carried out the study alongside Dr. Pauline Provini of the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle in Paris, concluded that the animal avoided the energetically demanding single leap used by many modern birds. The computer models showed that the creature could reach a sustainable flight speed of seven meters per second through specific bipedal combinations.
According to the findings, the prehistoric animal could achieve flight speed using three bipedal leaps, or two bipedal leaps combined with a downward flap between jumps. This multi-hop strategy mirrors behaviors still observed in avian species today.
Did You Know?
Modern birds still push primarily with their legs during takeoff. According to University of Southampton researchers, up to 90 percent of the force required to leave the ground comes from the legs in living species before the wings take over.
Pro Tip
While crows, magpies, and seagulls can launch with a single leap when startled or threatened, they frequently use multiple hops to conserve energy—replicating the mechanical strategy used by their ancient ancestors millions of years ago.
Frequently Asked Questions
Archaeopteryx lived approximately 150 million years ago.
According to researchers, restricted shoulder movement, a lack of a keeled breastbone, and wings that could not lift high above its back prevented the animal from generating enough force to launch with a single jump.
Biomechanic models show that a 400-gram Archaeopteryx could reach a sustainable flight speed of seven meters per second using three bipedal leaps, or two leaps with a downward flap between them.
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