Deinonychosauria

The Deinonychosauria ("fearsome claw lizards") were a clade of coelurosaurian theropod dinosaurs from the Late Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. These omnivores and carnivores are known for their sickle-shaped second toe claws and for displaying numerous bird-like characteristics. The clade has been divided into two further groups — Dromaeosauridae and Troodontidae. The largest known of these was Utahraptor (7 m or 23 ft), and Anchiornis was the smallest (34 cm or 13 in). By modern classifications, birds are closely related to this group of dinosaurs.