Giant stork-like dinosaur Spinosaurus fed by snatching fish from the shoreline, study shows - Daily Mail

Giant carnivorous dinosaur Spinosaurus snatched fish from the shoreline while also hunting for small prey on land, according to a new study into its behaviour.

They found it wasn't well adapted to the life aquatic and was more like a 'giant heron or stork' stalking the shoreline for fish and small land prey animals.  .

Life reconstruction of a Spinosaurus wading in the water and fishing. Giant carnivorous dinosaur Spinosaurus snatched fish from the shoreline while also hunting for small prey on land, according to a new study into its behaviour.

Saddle-billed storks in Africa foraging with their beaks partly below water - Spinosaurus may have done something similar feasting on the shoreline for animals and fish.

'Some studies suggested that it was actively chasing fish in water,' said Hone, 'but while they could swim, they would not have been fast or efficient enough to do this effectively,' he added.

Researchers studied the likely head position of Spinosaurus in the water, determining it was unsuited to open aquatic pursuit of fish.

Dr Hone said: 'Crocodiles are excellent in water compared to land animals, but are not that specialised for aquatic life and are not able to actively chase after fish. 

Dr Holtz said despite this, the evidence does suggest the creature fed partly, or even mostly, in the water - more so than any other large dinosaur

Other studies claim it was a heron-like shoreline feeder - grabbing fish and small land prey without venturing out to sea to actively pursue fish.