With their armoured bodies, scaly skin, huge claws and sharp teeth, it’s easy to see the fascination with dinosaurs. They’re exciting to study, and if you love Jurassic beasts, why not head to Dinosaur World Live for a spectacular theatre show? It’s one of the best dinosaur attractions in the UK and is perfect for the whole family, including children aged three and above. There’s even an on stage meet and greet for those lucky enough to be selected and a great storyline too. For now, let’s find out more about the main types of flying dinosaurs.

Pterosaurs

Pterosaurs is the complicated name given by dinosaur experts to flying reptiles. The name translates from Greek to mean Wing Lizard and describes a dinosaur type that existed around 228 to 66 million years ago. An example of a pterosaur was the Pterodactylus. This creature thrived during the late Jurassic Period and contrary to popular belief, did not have feathers. Instead, the Pterodactylus was scaly and more reptile looking. One of the major differences between ancient, lizard-skinned pterosaurs and modern, feathered birds is that the former would most likely have walked on four legs when they were on land. Birds, of course, don’t do this.

Quetzalcoatlus

While it’s hard to imagine birds as big as small jets flying majestically in the sky, this is exactly what the world was like all those millions of years ago. In fact, the Quetzalcoatlus (another complicated name that comes from an Aztec god), was a pterosaur thought to be the biggest flying dinosaur in history. Some sources claim it had a wingspan of 11 metres, yet its bones were so light that it only weighed around 250kg. The Quetzalcoatlus was also the size of a fully-grown giraffe. Imagine that beast circling above your head looking for food!

Tupandactylus

What’s really cool about the Tupandactylus is that this flying reptile wasn’t discovered until 2007, meaning it remained a mystery much longer than many other flying dinosaur types. It existed in the Early Cretaceous period and resided in South America. It has become well-known for its extremely large and beautiful head crest. This was made up of both bone and soft tissue and was believed to be used as an identification feature between other members of its species - a bit like having a unique hairstyle and facial features as a human being.

Rhamphorhynchus

Another common type of flying reptile was the Rhamphorhynchus. This existed during the Jurassic Period and had a long tail and sharp teeth. This winged creature survived mostly on a diet of fish, swooping down to catch its prey. Rhamphorhynchus was significantly smaller than some of the other flying dinosaurs, measuring 1.2 metres in length with a wingspan of 1.8 metres.

If you’re dinosaur mad and you’re looking for family days out in London that will fire your love of prehistoric times, don’t miss Dinosaur World Live. Book your tickets today and enjoy one of the best dinosaur attractions in London this summer.