Ostrich-dinosaurs

• "Ostrich-dinosaurs" is the common name of the ornithomimosaurs, because of their resemblance to today's largest bird--the flightless ostrich.

• Ostrich-dinosaurs were tall and slim, with two long, powerful back legs for very fast running.

• The front limbs of ostrich-dinosaurs were like strong arms, with grasping fingers tipped by sharp claws.

• The eyes of ostrich-dinosaurs were large and set high on the head.

• The toothless mouth of an ostrich-dinosaur was similar to the long, slim beak of a bird.

• Ostrich-dinosaurs lived toward the end of the Cretaceous Period, about 100-65 mya, in North America and Asia.

• Fossils of the ostrich-dinosaur Struthiomimus from Alberta, Canada, suggest it was almost 13ft (4m) in total length and stood about 7ft (2m) tall--the same height as a modern ostrich.

• The ostrich-dinosaur Gallimimus was almost 19ft (6m) long and stood nearly 10ft (3m) high.

• Ostrich-dinosaurs probably ate
seeds, fruits, and other plant material, as well as small animals such as worms and lizards, which they may have grasped with their powerful clawed hands.

• Other ostrich-dinosaurs included Dromiceiomimus, at 10-13ft (3-4m) long, and the slightly bigger Ornithomimus.

By: Parker, Steve, Dinosaurs