The historical world is full of terrifying monsters, however, although most people know about dinosaurs, which ruled the animal kingdom until extinction for about 65 million years, few know the predator that replaced them: the bird of terror.
Horror bird found places and fossils
Argentine paleontologist Florentino discovered the first fossil of the bird Phorusrhacos in 1887. Initially, due to its large size, the giant bird was initially considered a herbivorous mammal. Later, in 1891, the discovery of other fossils confirmed that the original discovery was a giant bird, not a mammal. Remains have been found in various parts of the Argentine province of Santa Cruz. Recent fossils found in Comaro, Argentina, have revealed new information about the shape of the bird's skull, confirming that it has a hook-like beak that is more than half the length of the rest of the skull.
Horror birds have a huge body size
For about 60 million to 2 million years, the birds of terror dominated South America as advanced predators. Terror birds used their size, speed, and efficient beaks to dominate the continent, dominating the forests and plains of South America shortly after the extinction of the dinosaurs.
The Horror Bird is considered the largest flightless bird ever built, and the Horror Bird is over 3 meters tall. The weight may weigh about 130-400 kg. Compared to the modern flightless ostrich, this terrifying bird has a rather large head and a beak that is more terrifying than an eagle's.
The horror bird's small wings make it impossible to fly. However, there is an unusually sharp claw on the wing, which the Horror Bird can use as a weapon. But its most powerful weapon is an axe-like beak that can tear up prey and kill them instantly. The Horror Bird also has long, thin legs that can be adapted to running. They have sharp claws on their thick feet and can also attack prey. The huge stride length and wide heart allow it to run faster than a horse at full speed.
Fossil evidence suggests that all horror birds are carnivorous. The downward curve of their powerful beak tips is similar to that of modern birds of prey. Like many extant birds with this beak, they are likely to use their beak to remove meat from their prey.
Habitat and regional domination of the terror bird changes
The Early Miocene to Middle Pleistocene period was the peak of the reign of the Birds of Terror, which was about 20 million to 1.8 million years ago. During this period, South America was an isolated continent, and the Terror Bird was the top predator for millions of years.
Many of their fossils were found in the Santa Cruz Formation in the province of Santa Cruz, Argentina. Grasslands, deserts and woodlands were characteristic of the area at the time, and the horror birds were most likely to use grasslands and woodlands as their preferred habitat. Their range may have covered the southernmost part of South America, Patagonia, which now covers parts of present-day Argentina and Chile.
For a long time, the Terror Bird was the largest bird isolated on the South American continent. However, the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama (a land bridge connecting North and South America) 2.7 million years ago caused saber-toothed tigers and other large predators to migrate to South America, thus upsetting the balance of power in the region. Given the moa's size and ferocious appearance, these new predators are unlikely to prey on it, as the terror bird can protect itself with its beak and claws.
When did the Horror Bird become extinct?
The emergence of the Isthmus of Panama about 2.7 million years ago marked the beginning of the extinction of the moa in South America. The Isthmus of Panama connected North and South America for the first time, with many ancient carnivorous cats, dogs and bears entering South America, increasing competition for food between terror birds and invasive species. And, coupled with climate changes, they may not be able to cope, which may have affected their hunting strategies, leading to their extinction.
Due to the small number of fossils found, paleontologists do not believe that the reason for the extinction of the horror bird is so simple, and at present, many mysteries about the horror hen still exist, and it is still to be excavated by paleontologists.