Dromornis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dromornis |
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| Cast of the extinct Dromornis stirtoni from Australia | |
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†Dromornis
Owen, 1872
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Dromornis was a type of giant, flightless bird that lived in Australia. It is now extinct, meaning it no longer exists. These amazing birds lived a very long time ago, from about 12 million to 5 million years ago. This means that humans never met these huge birds.
Even though Dromornis looked a bit like a giant emu, it was actually more closely related to geese! It had a very strong beak and jaw. Scientists are still not sure if it ate plants or if it was a carnivore (meat-eater).
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Meet the Giant Dromornis
The most famous type was called Dromornis stirtoni. This bird was truly enormous!
- It stood about three metres (10 feet) tall.
- It weighed up to 500 kilograms (half a ton). That's like a small car!
Dromornis stirtoni was even heavier than the Moa birds from New Zealand. It was also taller than the Aepyornis from Madagascar.
What Did Dromornis Look Like?
Dromornis stirtoni had a long neck and small, stubby wings. Because of these small wings, it could not fly. Its legs were very strong, but it probably wasn't a super fast runner.
The bird's beak was huge and incredibly powerful. Some scientists think it used its strong beak to cut through tough plant stems. Others believe such a big beak meant it ate meat.
Where Did Dromornis Live?
These giant birds lived in open woodlands in Australia. This was during a time called the late Miocene epoch. There were forests and plenty of water where they lived. However, the weather could be quite unpredictable.
The Dromornithidae Family
Dromornis belongs to a family of giant birds called Dromornithidae. These birds lived in Australia for millions of years, from about 15 million years ago until less than 30,000 years ago.
Australia has a unique animal history. Millions of years ago, Australia was part of a supercontinent called Gondwana. When Gondwana broke apart, Australia slowly separated from other continents. For a very long time, Australia's animals evolved mostly on their own. This is why Australia has so many unique animals, like kangaroos and koalas!
Other Giant Birds
Many giant, flightless birds have lived on Earth. Here are a few examples:
- Elephant birds (like Aepyornis)
- Moa (like Dinornis)
- Terror birds (like Phorusrhacos and Brontornis)
- Gastornis (also known as Diatryma)
Images for kids
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Holotype femur (thigh bone) of D. australis
See also
In Spanish: Dromornis para niños
