Deinonychus (Dei-non-y-chus) were Dromaeosaurs, also known as raptors – a group of birdlike predators covered in feathers. Adults measured about three feet tall, 10-feet long, and weighed roughly 154 pounds; tiny by dino standards. Their name means “Terrible Claw” and comes from the sickle-shaped claws on each of their second toes. However, unlike in the movie, Jurassic Park, the claws were not used for slashing their prey. Instead, they were used in a method called Raptor Prey Restraint.

This was when the dromaeosaur would leap on its unsuspecting victim to keep it from getting bucked off. Then, it would use the primary feathers on its arms to stabilize itself while its 70 sharp teeth did the real work. Excerpt from “Bandit’s Legacy”