Harpymimus was named after a human-faced, winged monster, Harpy, which appears in Greek myth.

H. okladnikovi is a sole species for Harpymimidae. This animal is the most primitive member of ornithomimids in Mongolia, which had lived during early Cretaceous about 120 million of years ago. A typical ornithomimids is toothless, but Harpymimus had up to 10 small, blunt, cylindrical teeth at the front of the dentary. This is a very unique feature for this group. What they ate is not known. They may have fed on plants or small animals.

Many fossils of dinosaurs and birds have been found with its head arched back. This is so-called 'death pose', the result of the contraction of the thick neck ligaments. This specimen of H. okladnikovi was also found with its head and tail arched back. It was mounted in such posture, that it looked like a crane dancing in their mating display.

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