How do scientists know if a dinosaur was an omnivore?

By studying tooth shape, stomach contents preserved in fossils, beak structure, and comparison with modern animals. Dinosaurs with varied tooth types or no teeth (beaked) were likely omnivores.

Were omnivorous dinosaurs common?

Omnivory was fairly common among small to medium dinosaurs, especially oviraptorosaurs and some ornithopods. Large dinosaurs tended toward one extreme — strictly herbivore or strictly carnivore.

What is an oviraptorosaur?

Oviraptorosaurs were a group of bird-like theropod dinosaurs with beaks and sometimes crests. They include Oviraptor, Citipati, and the giant Gigantoraptor. Most were likely omnivores.

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Omnivorous Dinosaurs

Omnivorous dinosaurs ate both plants and animals — insects, eggs, small lizards, seeds, and fruit were all on the menu. This dietary flexibility gave them a survival advantage in changing environments. Many oviraptorosaurs, ornithomimids, and small theropods fall into this category.

Fun Facts

✓Oviraptor was long thought to be an egg thief (its name means 'egg thief'), but it was likely brooding its own eggs when discovered next to a nest.
✓Gallimimus, the ostrich-like dinosaur from Jurassic Park, could run at speeds up to 30 mph and likely ate plants, insects, and small animals.
✓Many omnivorous dinosaurs had beaks instead of teeth, which were useful for cracking nuts, seeds, and eggs.
✓Omnivory gave dinosaurs an advantage during mass extinctions, when a flexible diet helped them find whatever food was available.
✓Troodon is one of the most famous potentially omnivorous dinosaurs, with large eyes for hunting in low light and a varied diet.

Questions About Omnivorous Dinosaurs

Other Diet Types

Carnivorous Dinosaurs Herbivorous Dinosaurs Fish-Eating Dinosaurs