Recently, the remains from three different specimens have been put to together to almost completely reconstruct the skeleton of the Anzu wyliei, pictured above. The remains show some shocking findings. This bird-like dinosaur stood roughly  5 feet tall and 11 feet wide at the hip. Think about it: the hip of the Anzu was about as all as my entire body. Resembling a giant, flightless bird, the Anzu had a toothless beak, feathers, and long, slender legs like an ostrich. However, it also had large claws at the tip of its forelimbs. The finding of the Anzu has proven that caenagnathids form a natural grouping within Oviraptorosauria, a theropod group composed of caenagnathids and oviraptorids. Furthermore, the scaring and healing of some of the bones of the Anzu seem to suggest that they were able to withstand quite a bit of trauma. 

However, what I find most interesting about the recent discoveries in the dinosaur way of life is their resemblance to birds in both physical and behavioral attributes. Recently, I was watching a documentary on the evolution of dinosaurs, and the new theories fascinated me. The documentary said that it is believed that dinosaurs, like the Anzu, laid eggs in a nest and protected them much like birds do today. Furthermore, they suggested that the father  may have also played a large role in raising and protecting his children. This new family dynamic is a very interesting discovery, and I cannot wait to see what else science will unveil from the lives of the dinosaurs.

Link to article: Nearly complete ‘chicken from hell,’ from mysterious dinosaur group