Terror Birds

[Noymira]

I saw this crazy special last night on Terror Birds, which lived about 2 million years ago. We talk about chickens being related to dinosaurs, which they are, but these guys were much more recent and very scary! They grew to 7 feet tall, weighed up to 300lbs and could run up to 30mph.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/08/terrorbird/

Just had to share, I thought it was very cool. I was looking at my cute little chickens a bit differently this morning!

 

[Frost Homestead]

cooool. I had to write a paper once in college about a bird similar these, could you imagine one of those running around these days!?

 

[A.T. Hagan]

These birds were mostly limited to South America, but not entirely. There have been finds here in North America. One of which was here in North Florida.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanis_walleri

It was 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) tall and weighed approximately 150 kilograms (330 lb),...

From the Wired article - a terror bird skull, an eagle's skull, and a human skull.

They were one of the apex predators of their day.

 

[Noymira]

I can't imagine facing one of those. Had they been around at the same time as modern humans I don't think we would have stood a chance!

It was interesting because they said it was the only time a bird the apex predator for an entire continent.

 

[NovaAman]

bet they'd taste just like chicken... I mean, I bet people would have tasted like hamburgers...