How would a four or five winged creature, such as a microraptor, fly?

Microraptors are cretaceous-period dinosaurs with feathered wings on both their forelimbs and back-limbs.

Despite this, they are not considered 'true flyers' as it is believed they used their five 'wings'(The tail counts as one due to its purpose in generating 'lift') to glide from tree to tree and had few specialised flight adaptations (including a fused sternum and flight feathers).

So, assuming that these adaptations were accounted for and a creature with four/five wings like a microraptor could sustain powered flight, how would they fly?

Would their back wings have the same flexibility as their forelimbs, making the creature fly somewhat like a dragonfly, Or would they take the shape of a bi-plane? Would the animal stand like a bird or a pterosaur? would the animal have greater manoeuvrability in the sky then a bird or would the excess drag make them too unstable for aerial acrobatics?

posted almost 8 years ago

Hannah‭

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