中華麗羽龍是種二足掠食動物。正模標本的身長有2.37公尺。根據葛瑞格利·保羅(Gregory S. Paul)在2010年的估計,中華麗羽龍的體重約為20公斤[2]。中華麗羽龍與華夏頜龍、其他美頜龍科的差異在於,中華麗羽龍的手部與手臂相較比例相當長;而且比大部分美頜龍科還長,這個特徵可能與牠們的體型相關[1]。
^ 1.001.011.021.031.041.051.061.071.081.091.101.11Ji, S., Ji, Q., Lu J., and Yuan, C. (2007). "A new giant compsognathid dinosaur with long filamentous integuments from Lower Cretaceous of Northeastern China." Acta Geologica Sinica, 81(1): 8-15.
^Paul, G.S., 2010, The Princeton Field Guide to Dinosaurs, Princeton University Press p. 121
^Cristiano dal Sasso & Simone Maganuco, 2011, Scipionyx samniticus (Theropoda: Compsognathidae) from the Lower Cretaceous of Italy — Osteology, ontogenetic assessment, phylogeny, soft tissue anatomy, taphonomy and palaeobiology, Memorie della Società Italiana de Scienze Naturali e del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano XXXVII(I): 1-281