Dromaeosauridae

Dromaeosauridae is a family of small to medium-sized theropod dinosaurs within the clade Paraves, closely related to birds. They lived during the Early to Late Cretaceous, roughly 160 to 75 million years ago, with fossils found in North America, Asia, and Europe. Dromaeosaurids are known for their agile, lightly built bodies and distinctive appendages.

A defining feature is the elongated, sickle-shaped claw on the second toe of each hind limb, which could be sharply curved and may have been used for grasping or slashing prey. They typically possessed grasping hands, long tails for balance, and a proportionally large brain for their size. Evidence has shown that many dromaeosaurids were feathered, ranging from simple down to complex pennaceous feathers. Genera such as Microraptor and Zhenyuanlong provide clear examples of plumage, and some fossils show structures consistent with quill knobs on forelimb bones.

Ecology and behavior remain areas of active research. Dromaeosaurids were carnivorous and likely portrayed a range of hunting strategies, from active pursuit of small vertebrates to ambush predation. The idea that some species hunted in packs is debated, though social behavior is not well established across the group. Their strong senses and agility suggest they were effective predators in their ecosystems.

Systematics and phylogeny place dromaeosaurids as close relatives of troodontids and, more broadly, of birds, within Paraves. Some analyses divide the group into subfamilies such as Dromaeosaurinae and Velociraptorinae, though relationships are subject to revision. Dromaeosaurids are important for understanding the evolution of flight-related features and the dinosaur–bird transition.

Notable members include Velociraptor, Deinonychus, Dromaeosaurus, Microraptor, Utahraptor, and Zhenyuanlong.