In Depth Although the name actually means ‘ox bird’, Bullockornis is better known in popular culture as the ‘Demon duck of doom’. This is in part because Bullockornis is thought to be more closely related to ducks and geese than any other group of birds. Although Bullockornis was without doubt a large bird, it was … Read more
In Depth The beak of Genyornis was sharp and powerful, but unfortunately it is difficult to say what its diet was as it would have been useful for either a carnivore or herbivore. It is also equally possible that Genyornis was an omnivore, feeding from plants but also supplementing its diet by scavenging carrion. This … Read more
In Depth Dromornis is also often referred to by the English translation of its Greek name ‘Thunder bird’, as well as the Aboriginal ‘Mihirung paringmal’ which means ‘giant bird’. Dromornis was certainly a big bird being just a bit shorter but much heavier than the Moa from New Zealand, while being slightly lighter but a … Read more
In Depth Further Reading - Extraordinary cranial specialization in a new genus of extinct duck (Aves: Anseriformes) from Kauai, Hawaiian Islands. - Zootaxa (Auckland, New Zealand: Magnolia Press) 2296: 47–67. - Andrew N. Iwaniuk, Storrs L. Olson & Helen F. James - 2009.
In Depth Vegavis is a close relative of modern ducks and geese, but probably not a direct ancestor. Still, the discovery of Vegavis was still a very important and exciting discovery for those interested in the evolution of birds, as it is a clear sign that by at least the end of the Maastrichtian period … Read more
In Depth History and classification of Gastornis Gastornis was first named as a genus in 1855 by E. H�bert. Gastornis means ‘Gaston’s bird’, and H�bert chose this name to honour Gaston Plant�, the man who discovered the first ever (and hence holotype) fossils of Gastornis in the French Argile Plastique Formation that is not far … Read more