Page 145 - The Dinosaur Book and Other Wonders of the Prehistoric World (DK-Smithsonian)

Hundreds of skeletons of this ice-age,
vulturelike predator have been found in
sticky tar deposits in California.

Teratornis

The beak was lined with bony, toothlike
serrations, perfect for catching slippery fish. Giant birds

Osteodontornis Argentavis

Also known as Diatryma, this
giant flightless bird may have eaten
Titanis
leaves and shoots, or been good at
cracking open large seeds and nuts.

This bird of prey weighed
five times as much as the very
similar Andean condor—one of
the largest modern flying birds.

Long legs allowed Icadyptes had a Gastornis
Titanis to run at much longer, more
speeds of more pointed beak than
than 30 mph modern penguins.
(48 kph)—fast
enough to catch
most small animals.

Icadyptes Fossil footprints suggest

that the three-toed
feet were about
16 in (40 cm) long.

ripping apart prey on the open plains of North airborne birds were also giants. Argentavis,
and South America. They were among the which soared above the plains of Argentina
most powerful predators of their time. Another more than 5 million years ago, was a colossal,
flightless giant, the Australian Dromornis, vulturelike bird of prey with an 26 ft (8 m)
probably ate plants, and the same may apply to wingspan, and probably the largest flying
the much earlier Gastornis. Meanwhile, some bird that has ever lived. 143

US_142-143_Giant_birds.indd 143 20/06/2018 13:56