Microraptor in 3D - click a feathered forelimb, a hind limb, or the tail fan for a fact (full controls on the Dinosaurs 3D hub).
Microraptor was a crow-sized, four-winged feathered dinosaur from Early Cretaceous China; turn on the human figure to see how a person compares to its body.
Microraptor 3D Viewer
Drag to spin the Microraptor model below, zoom in close, and click a forelimb, hind limb, or the tail to read a fact about that part (full controls on the Dinosaurs 3D hub).
Microraptor lived in the Early Cretaceous, about 125 to 120 million years ago, in Liaoning, China. Adults were about 0.8 m long (M. gui holotype about 77 cm) and about 0.5 to 1.5 kg. Long flight feathers on the arms and legs make it a four-winged dinosaur central to debates about early aerial locomotion. The same Yixian Formation beds in Liaoning also preserved Beipiaosaurus, a slow-moving, herbivorous therizinosauroid that lived in the same environment as this active four-winged carnivore.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Length | about 0.8 m (holotype M. gui about 77 cm) |
| Standing height | about 0.2-0.3 m at the hips |
| Weight | about 0.5-1.5 kg (NHM directory about 1 kg) |
| When it lived | 125-120 million years ago (Early Cretaceous) |
| Diet | Carnivore (small animals; fish and lizards in some specimens) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Microraptor called four-winged?
Fossils preserve long flight feathers on the arms and on the legs. That hind-limb feathering is the key difference from larger ground raptors such as Velociraptor or Deinonychus on this site.
How big was Microraptor?
About crow-sized: roughly 0.8 m long and about 0.5 to 1.5 kg. The Natural History Museum directory lists about 0.8 m and 1 kg. Turn on the human figure to see the scale against a 1.8 m person.
When and where did it live?
In the Early Cretaceous, about 125 to 120 million years ago, in Liaoning, China (Jehol biota / Jiufotang Formation).
Could it fly or only glide?
Researchers disagree on the details. Experiments and anatomy suggest aerial locomotion was possible; some work favors gliding, and other studies argue for powered flight capability. This page states the four-winged evidence without picking a single flight mode as proven.
Is the model scientifically accurate?
The proportions follow published figures, but soft-tissue color is an artistic reconstruction. This model is not a fossil-accurate skeleton. Length, weight, and age figures are real published values, with ranges cited because sources vary.
Do I need to install anything to view it?
No. The model renders in your browser with WebGL - no app, no account, and nothing about your visit is sent to a server. When available, a free-licensed glTF model may swap in after first paint.