Ornithomimus Facts
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Height | 2m |
| Length | 4m |
| Weight | 170 kg |
| Speed | 60 km/h |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Theropod |
| Location | North America |

| Diet | Omnivore |
| Height | 2m |
| Length | 4m |
| Weight | 170 kg |
| Speed | 60 km/h |
| Environment | Land |
| Era | Cretaceous |
| Period | Late Cretaceous |
| Type | Theropod |
| Location | North America |
Ornithomimus was a remarkable theropod dinosaur that lived in western North America during the Late Cretaceous period, between 83.6 and 72.2 million years ago. This fascinating creature earned its name, meaning 'bird mimic', due to its striking resemblance to modern ostriches and emus, though it was actually a dinosaur rather than a bird.
Standing about 2 metres tall at the hip and reaching 4 metres in length, Ornithomimus was built for speed. Its long, powerful legs and lightweight body allowed it to reach impressive speeds of up to 60 kilometres per hour when escaping predators across the ancient floodplains and forests of North America. The dinosaur's body was covered in feathers, which likely helped with temperature regulation and possibly display behaviours.
One of Ornithomimus's most distinctive features was its small, toothless beak, which suggests it had an omnivorous diet. This versatile feeding apparatus would have allowed it to eat a variety of foods including fruits, seeds, small animals, and insects. Its long neck and flexible skull made it well-adapted for ground-level foraging as well as reaching higher vegetation.
Two species are recognised: the type species O. velox and O. edmontonicus. Fossil evidence shows these theropods lived in herds, providing safety in numbers against the large predators that shared their environment, including tyrannosaurs and dromaeosaurs.
Ornithomimus had a small, toothless beak, long ostrich-like neck, and powerful running legs. Its body was covered in feathers and it possessed long arms with three-fingered hands ending in sharp claws.
Ornithomimus likely lived in herds for protection against predators, using their exceptional speed to escape danger. They were probably active foragers, using their flexible necks to search for food both on the ground and in low vegetation.
Ornithomimus has appeared in various dinosaur documentaries and educational programmes, often showcased for its remarkable speed and bird-like appearance.
Ornithomimus was first described by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1890. The original fossils were discovered at Denver Formation, Colorado, USA.