Buitreraptor was a genus of dromaeosaurid dinosaurs that lived in late Cretaceous Argentina. It was first discovered in an excavation led by Peter Makovicky in 2004, but was subsequently described in 2005. It was the only known species of the genus Buitreraptor that belonged to the dromaeosaur family. The name means \"plundering vulture\" which comes from the Spanish word buitre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a small species, a predatory dinosaur about the size of a rooster estimated to be 1.5 meters long and weighing three kilograms. It had an extremely elongated snout with many small teeth that were grooved, heavily trimmed and flattened. According to scientists, Buitreraptor was not a hunter of relatively large animals, but hunted small animals such as lizards and mammals. It had long forelimbs that ended in hands with three fingers. Its fingers were shorter than those of other dromaeosaurs and the second finger was considerably longer. It has an elongated body and a shallow rib cage. Its sickle-shaped claw was relatively short and broad on the second toe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like its close relatives, Buitreraptor also had feathers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n