Did every dinosaur become extinct?
From T. rex to a bird at the window: a surprising relationship.
The short answer
Not all dinosaurs died out: birds are living dinosaurs. The other dinosaur groups disappeared about 66 million years ago. A bird is not a reconstruction of an ancient dinosaur; it belongs to that family history.
Puschel and Flauschi visit a T. rex reconstruction in a museum; a modern bird sits at the window. This is a museum model, not a living T. rex. Its colours are an artistic reconstruction. The bird at the window lives in the present. AI-created museum illustration, not a photograph of a real exhibit.
An imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
Puschel puts every dinosaur card under “extinct.” Flauschi adds a present-day bird and shows the family tree. He traces its branches and sorts again. One branch reaches the present; his old label was too broad.
An example to help you understand
The museum picture shows a reconstructed T. rex behind a barrier and a modern bird at the window. It combines a reconstruction of the past with the present; it does not depict a meeting with a living T. rex.
Try explaining it
Which dinosaurs are still alive today?
Choose a), b) or c), then explain your choice.
- a)Triceratops.
- b)Birds.
- c)T. rex.
Show the explanation
Correct: b): Birds.
Birds are dinosaurs. Their branch of the family tree survives today.
Word help
- fossil
- A preserved remain or trace of life from past geological times.
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
1. Many different animals
Dinosaurs are a group with many different species. Some ate plants, others animals. T. rex was one species, not the name for all dinosaurs. Sizes and shapes differed too.
Checked against: [1]
2. Not all lived together
Dinosaur history lasted a very long time. Species appeared and disappeared at different times. A picture containing many prehistoric animals need not show a real meeting. Mammoths lived much later than T. rex.
3. Birds belong too
About 66 million years ago the surviving dinosaur groups other than birds became extinct. A huge asteroid impact played a decisive role. An asteroid is a rocky or metallic body in space. The bird lineage survived: modern birds are living dinosaurs, but no T. rex suddenly turned into a blackbird.
Checked against: [2]
4. How do we know?
Fossils are preserved remains or traces of past life. Specialists compare bones and other body features to investigate relationships and lifestyles. A recreated animal is a reconstruction based on evidence. Not every skin colour is known.
An optional question for further exploration
You can use the longer explanation above. This is extra, not needed for the first quiz.
An extra question
Why is “all dinosaurs became extinct” inaccurate?
Discover the answer
Birds belong to the dinosaurs and their lineage survived. The other dinosaurs became extinct about 66 million years ago.
Pictures and sources for adults
Sources for further reading
The factual content was checked against these specialist sources on 10 October 2026. The Wusel scene is fictional.