1–2 minutes
When: 89.8 million years ago – 70.6 million years ago (Late Cretaceous)
Where: Asia, mainly Mongolia
What: Bird-like feathered dinosaur often found protecting nests
Size: 1.5 to 2m long
Meaning of Name: egg-seizer
Diet: Omnivore
Above, you can see an image of an Oviraptor skeleton, and you may have noticed what the creature is sitting on: it’s a nest of eggs. Oviraptors were very territorial and protective of their nests, going to great lengths to defend their eggs. In many cases, these animals died guarding their young. In the image, on the lower right, there is a dissected Oviraptor egg fossil, showing the bones of the embryo inside.
Click the button below to see an Oviraptor defending its nest.
Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals 