Why did dinosaurs evolve feathers?

[Still Waters]

A common creationist canard is the supposedly unanswerable "what use is half a wing?". Apparently there to confound biologists, what it generally does is demonstrate the ignorance of the asker with respect to evolutionary theory. However, the actual broader question that is inferred – what use is a feather to a non-flying bird? – is both relevant and interesting.

The earliest filamentous feathers appeared in dinosaurs well before birds ever did, and were present in plenty of species that had no hope of taking to the air. So then, what might their original function have been, and what prompted them to be maintained, grow larger and change over time?

http://www.guardian....nosaurs-fossils

[danielost]

The primary purpose of feathers is to maintaining body tempiture as it is with fur. So the dinos withfeathers were warm blooded or perhaps luke warm. The only animal with fur oher than mammels are some types of bees. This let's the bee to warm its flight muscle faster for flight.

[Crabby Kitten]

To put off mosquitoes? A pathetic guess of mine.

[PersonFromPorlock]

Don't overlook the role feathers play in mating and dominance displays. Tom turkeys, for instance, bulk up impressively when they spread their plumage. It could be that feathered dinosaurs enjoyed a purely social advantage over unfeathered rivals and so passed the gene on.