When most people picture dinosaurs, they imagine massive creatures like Tyrannosaurus rex or the long-necked sauropods. But the dinosaur world had its share of tiny inhabitants too—and the smallest of them all might surprise you.

A Pigeon-Sized Predator

Epidexipteryx holds the current record as the smallest known non-avian dinosaur, measuring approximately 11 inches (30 cm) from snout to tail. Weighing around 164 grams (about 5.8 ounces), this pint-sized theropod was roughly the size and weight of a modern pigeon.

To put that in perspective, you could have held an Epidexipteryx in your hands—if you happened to have a time machine and a Jurassic Period travel permit.

Fancy Tail Feathers

What Epidexipteryx lacked in size, it made up for in style. This tiny dinosaur sported four elongated, ribbon-like tail feathers that likely served as display features rather than flight apparatus. Scientists believe these ornamental plumes were used to attract mates or establish dominance—basically the Jurassic equivalent of a peacock's tail.

The fossil evidence shows these feathers were disproportionately long compared to the dinosaur's body, suggesting that looking good was a priority even 160 million years ago.

The Shrinking Dinosaur Record

The title of "smallest dinosaur" has changed hands multiple times as paleontologists continue making new discoveries:

Compsognathus held the record from the 1850s through most of the 20th century, measuring about 3 feet long
Microraptor dethroned it in the early 2000s at roughly 2.5 feet in length
Epidexipteryx currently claims the crown at under 1 foot long

There was briefly another contender called Oculudentavis, discovered in 2020 and preserved in amber. At hummingbird size, it would have been even smaller—but subsequent research revealed it was likely a lizard, not a dinosaur at all.

Living in what is now China during the Middle to Late Jurassic Period, Epidexipteryx represents just how diverse dinosaurs were in size and shape. While its massive cousins were evolving into the largest land animals ever to walk the Earth, this little guy was perfecting the art of being tiny—and fabulous.

Related Tags