Prehistoric 'terror bird' was a vegetarian

[UM-Bot]

Once thought to have been a vicious predator, the 7ft terror bird was actually a harmless plant-eater.

With an appearance not dissimilar to a large ostrich, the species known as Gastornis sported a large sharp beak and would have lived in what is now Europe approximately 55 to 40 million years ago. Palaeontologists examining fossil remains of the creature originally concluded that its beak and large size would have made it a formidable predator in a world dominated by small mammals.

Read More: http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/253876/prehistoric-terror-bird-was-a-vegetarian

[A rather obscure Bassoon]

Vegetarian or not,I still wouldn't want to meet up with one in the Bush.

[ancient astronaut]

It amazes me how they discover all of this.

[spacecowboy342]

If they weren't predators, I wonder what the apex predator of the time and place was. Something must have ate them

[brlesq1]

Formidable looking thing, isn't he? I wonder if the beak could have been used for defense.

[Troublehalf]

Well, birds such as the Elephant Bird and Moa Bird, were both vegetarian IIRC. They are so big because, if you're bigger than your predator, you're unlikely to be eaten, or it's at least harder.

Elephant Bird didn't have any predators. Moa had Haast's Eagle to deal with. Shame they died out, would love to see Haast's. Maybe that's what all the Thunder Bird sightings actually are....

[spacecowboy342]

Well, birds such as the Elephant Bird and Moa Bird, were both vegetarian IIRC. They are so big because, if you're bigger than your predator, you're unlikely to be eaten, or it's at least harder.

Elephant Bird didn't have any predators. Moa had Haast's Eagle to deal with. Shame they died out, would love to see Haast's. Maybe that's what all the Thunder Bird sightings actually are....

Yeah I was just reading about the Cenozoic and that was when large mammalian predators began to emerge. It seems there were 5 subfamiles, 14 genera, and 18 species of these birds. I wonder if at least some could have been predators or at least scavenging omnivores like modern chickens

[Silver Surfer]

Good call Troublehalf Moas were around only hundreds of years ago in NZ and reached 12ft! And the Haast eagle! Man biggest eagle EvEr!! 38FT wingspan... damn.. imagine that bearing down on you! We all know it wasnt the Haast that killed the Moa out.. more like Humans.. i.e the Maori people.. the Haast died once its main food source was killed off.

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

http://en.wikipedia....ast's_Eagle

Anyway back onto the subject of this other creature..

Edited September 2, 2013 by Silver Surfer

[Skeptic Chicken]

Well, if that wasn't one of the most terrifying article photos I've seen on the front page, I don't know what is.

[cacoseraph]

For purely emotional reasons I shall retain judgement until further evidence supporting the carnivore camp comes forth =P

[Duchess Gummybuns]

We are still trying to finalize the facts on these prehistoric animals, which shows that science s always evolving....

Or, y'know, they study the bone structure and logical sciencey stuff comes along.

[Infinite Playlist]

And thus my old childhood favorite, Prehistoric Planet, is once again considered invalid.

All things considered, it is an interesting find.

[Sundew]

Vegetarian, maybe - harmless, not necessarily. The Cassowary is also largely vegetarian and it can disembowel you with one kick.

[Sundew]

If they weren't predators, I wonder what the apex predator of the time and place was. Something must have ate them

Something may have preyed on their eggs and young, but full grown they may have had no natural enemies. The elephant would be a similar modern example. Except for a few lion prides that have have specialized in killing elephants, a full grown elephant, especially a big male, has no natural enemies other than human hunters.

[Lava_Lady]

It looks like the bird in "The Giant Claw".... great movie, if you like them crappy.

Edited September 28, 2013 by Lava_Lady

[Asadora]

It looks like the bird in "The Giant Claw".... great movie, if you like them crappy.

That reminds me of the bird like creatures from Dark Crystal:

Awesome movie by the way

[Frank Merton]

Lovely

[Lava_Lady]

That reminds me of the bird like creatures from Dark Crystal:

Awesome movie by the way

I haven't thought of that movie in decades! Wow, thanks for the reminder, I'll have to look it up again.

And those birds look a lot better than the one in Giant Claw, lol

[Asadora]

I haven't thought of that movie in decades! Wow, thanks for the reminder, I'll have to look it up again.

And those birds look a lot better than the one in Giant Claw, lol

You're welcome for the reminder:)

If I remember correctly the bird creature on the left in the picture is the head honcho and the one on the right is the one that always made that creepy 'mmmmmmmmmmm' sound. haha.

[Frank Merton]

And they are sooo well groomed!

[Lava_Lady]

You're welcome for the reminder:)

If I remember correctly the bird creature on the left in the picture is the head honcho and the one on the right is the one that always made that creepy 'mmmmmmmmmmm' sound. haha.

Haha! It was so long ago I don't remember that but I recall the way they moved gave me the creeps. Something about the puppetry. lol

[Lava_Lady]

And they are sooo well groomed!

I guess "busy" was the fashion back in the Dark Crystal! lol

[Frank Merton]

Pretentious and stuffy.

[Simbi Laveau]

It looks like the dodo bird