Dromaeosaurus is one of the most interesting and deadly dinosaurs to have walked the planet. Small in stature but impressive in stealth, this animal was one of the top carnivores of the Late Cretaceous (70 million years ago) North American continent.
     Its main diet consisted of small and medium sized plant eaters like Thescelosaurus, Orodromeus, juvenile Triceratops, and young duck billed dinosaurs. It probably also supplemented its diet with small lizards, birds, mammals, and when young, insects.
     Dromaeosaurs are also informally known as “raptors” (made famous by the Jurassic Park” films). The “raptors” include an entire family of dinosaurs some of which attained much greater sizes than Dromaeosaurus. All raptors, however, share one key characteristic… a sickle-shaped killing claw on its hind foot. This claw was held off the ground and was used for disemboweling prey.       Another unique characteristic of raptors is that they were all probably pack hunters, making them all the more dangerous.
     This skeleton (picture below) is based off an incomplete specimen discovered in Canada nearly 70 years ago. With the assistance of the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta Canada, Triebold Paleontology Inc. helped reconstruct the missing portions of the skeleton so it stands once more.

     Dromaeosaurus and over 30 other dinosaurs, marine reptiles and flying reptiles can be seen in all their glory, at the Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center, opening Memorial Day weekend 2004.