Dinosaurs Had Random Array Of Mating Habits
Even though these animals are extinct, it doesn’t mean they’re left out of this list. Very little is known about dinosaurs’ mating habits, but what we do know is that their courtship rituals were similar to those of modern birds. Evidence preserved in Colorado rocks in the form of scrape marks held remains of Cretaceous dinosaurs. These scrapes were similar to “nest scrapes” created by male birds. These birds, including puffins, sage grouse, and other shore birds, unusually scrape the ground when they’re courting a potential mate.
This shows their mate how good they are at building a nest. They would huff and puff and fan their tails, making dozens of scratches at a time. Paleontologist Steve Brusatte said, “We know these dinosaurs were very birdlike in so many aspects, and a sort of ritualistic mating behavior could explain these unusual traces. Maybe they stomped their feet around for another reason, but I think we have to draw the most reasonable conclusion we can based on what we know of living animals, and modern birds are more dinosaur-like than anything else.” These 50 scrape marks were found on stone, and based on other behaviors of the dinosaur, they came to these conclusions (The Guardian).