Ever wish you could have seen a real, live dinosaur? Well you can! In fact, if you look out your window, you may catch a glimpse of one right now! We’re not just being cheeky––you’ll probably see several of them this very moment depending on where you live. But before you bolt in terror from a genetically cloned Jurassic tale waiting outside your door, rest assured these dinosaurs are of a far less terrifying nature: they’re birds. Strange as it may seem, our fine feathered friends are actually thought to be avian dinosaurs, descendants of small, theropod dinosaurs. Specifically, they are linked to a group of theropods called coelurosauria which includes the Velociraptor! And interestingly, scientists now believe the T-Rex, despite its large stature, belongs with the coelurosaurs rather than the large, vicious carnosaurs like Allosaurus. It’s somewhat difficult to imagine birds related to these fearsome predators…unless you’ve ever tried eating french fries outdoors near a flock of hungry seagulls. However, there is a long list of major skeletal characteristics which many ceolurosuarian dinosaurs and birds share. And birds, like other reptiles, lay eggs, have similar musculature, organs and scales (on their feet as well as their feathers being produced by tissues similar to those that make scales). Add to that recent findings which suggest that some dinosaurs had feathers, and we have quite the family reunion pic in the making. So the next time you catch a glance of our Velociraptor skeleton or menacing T-Rex head and foot, think of the majestic eagle, the brilliant Blue Jay or perhaps your neighbourhood sparrow, and be thankful that we cohabit the Earth with a much kinder and gentler group of dinosaurs.