If birds are dinosaurs, does that mean modern birds are descended from raptors? Looking at the piercing eyes and sharp talons of hawks and eagles, it’s easy to think they are great great great (millions of times multiplied) grandchildren of Velociraptor. However, the answer is a little more complicated.

First off, raptors are NOT the ancestor of modern birds. Raptors are a part of a group of dinosaurs called Dromaeosaurs. Dromaeosaurs had feathers and were very bird-like, but scientists are debating their relationship with birds. Their Hollywood reputation is also a bit muddied, but there are some truths among the fictionalized beasts.

If you caught a quick glimpse of a Velociraptor in your yard, you might assume it’s a strange, ground-dwelling bird. Unlike Jurassic Park depictions, Velociraptor was covered in feathers and was about the size and weight of a domestic turkey. But don’t let it’s baby size fool you. Based on the fossil record, it was an avid hunter and took town prey as big as itself. So it may not have been a threat to an adult human, but you wouldn’t want to leave your pets outside.

If you have any doubts about Velociraptor, though, it did have a much bigger, beefier cousin named Utahraptor. Utahraptor grew to over 6 meters (20 feet) in length and weighed as much as polar bear. For lunch, it ate fully grown dinosaurs, and it would have been an absolute terror for any human to encounter.

There are no birds today that can rival that level of size and power, and we should be thankful for that because modern day birds of prey are brutal predators. In fact, birds of prey have been called raptors (which means “to seize or plunder” in Latin) long before we even knew about dinosaurs.

Scientists theorize that Dromaeosaurs used their infamous claws to pin down prey while devouring it alive. Scary as it may sound, this is exactly how modern day raptors hunt. In some ways, modern day raptors are MORE terrifying than their ancient counterparts because of one cool trick. They can fly! Can you imagine a Velociraptor chasing you through the sky?! Think about that the next time you see an eagle.

Many eagles are enormous apex predators that can take down prey as large as 56 kg (123 lb). The scariest eagle of all time was the Haast’s eagle, which ruled New Zealand until it went extinct in 1400. This eagle could get up to 18kg (40lbs) and had a wingspan up to 3 meters (10 feet). To support its massive size (and appetite), it ate giant flightless birds called moa, which also went extinct in the 1400s. In Māori mythology, they were said to have eaten humans, and due to their size and power, it’s possible that they did.

Today, there are still a few living birds that are as dangerous as Dromaeosaurs. The African crowned eagle and the martial eagle are both known to have attacked and preyed upon humans, specifically young children. Meanwhile, the Harris’ hawk (aka peuco) is known to hunt in packs to take down large prey, which is not unlike raptor behavior depicted in dinosaur movies.

So, the next time you see a cute little bird chasing bugs, think about how horrifying it would be if it was the size of a polar bear and had jaws full of sharp teeth. Modern birds may not be Dromeosaur descendants, but they certainly have the attitude to make up for it.

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