Gallimimus means 'chicken mimic' in Latin, and like living birds it would have had a beak made of keratin. Gallimimus probably fed on vegetation, and, as in many modern herbivores, had large eyes on the sides of its head to watch for predators, such as other large theropod dinosaurs (see the reconstruction).

The rocks of the Nemegt Formation were formed during a period of time just before the extinction of the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous. They preserve a lush, wet and warm habitat which supported a great diversity of life including fishes, birds, turtles, crocodiles and even a mammal.  Today, this area is known as the 'Valley of the Dragons' because more than 30 species of dinosaur have been discovered.

Location: Nemegt Formation, Gobi Desert, Mongolia
Age: Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous (70 million years ago)

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