| “ | Then of course there are the native predators, the flightless Terror Birds. These are three meters tall and called Phorusrhacos. | „ |
| — Allen, about Phorusrhacos
in Saving the Sabre Tooth | ||
Phorusrhacos (name meaning "Rag-Bearer"), commonly known as the Terror Bird, is a genus of giant flightless terror bird that originated during the Early Miocene epoch in what is now South America. Standing 3 meters tall, this large, carnivorous bird was one of the top predators of its time, rivaled only by Smilodon, and was arguably the largest flightless bird to have existed.
In the Series 3 episode "Saving the Sabre Tooth," a breeding pair of Phorusrhacos named Polly and Patrick were brought to the park from Early Pleistocene South America, 1 million years ago. They reside in the Aviary Enclosure.
Facts[]
Era & Discovery[]
It lived approximately 20 to 1 million years ago (Early Miocene to Early Pleistocene) in North America. Fossil evidence has been found in South America.
Physical Attributes[]
Phorusrhacos skull
Phorusrhacos was 3.1 m (10.17 ft) tall and weighed approximately 150 kilograms (330 lb). When compared with other phorusrhacids, the examined material indicates a large variation in the size of Titanis, perhaps indicating strong sexual dimorphism. It had long, agile legs, and three-toed feet with long talons. It could undoubtedly run at high speeds when hunting. Though its skull has not been found, it most probably would have been large, with a huge, axe-like beak, like its relatives.
Overall, Phorusrhacos was very similar to the North American Titanis, its closest relatives. However, it differs from these in having a shorter, thicker neck, and an overall more heavily built bodily structure. Little is known of its body structure, but it seems to have been less wide-footed than Titanis, with a proportionally much stronger middle toe.
The wings were small and could not have been used for flight. The wing bones articulated in an unusual joint-like structure, suggesting the digits could flex to some degree. It also had a relatively rigid wrist, which would not have allowed the hand to fold back against the arm to the same degree as other birds. This led R. M. Chandler to suggest that the wings may have supported some type of clawed, mobile hand similar to the hands of non-avian theropod dinosaurs, such as the dromaeosaurs (also popularly known as "raptors").
However, it was later pointed out that this wing joint is not in fact unique, and is present in seriemas (extant members of the same order, Cariamae, to which Phorusrhacos and other phorusrhacids belonged), which do not have any specialized grasping hands.
Behavior & Traits[]
Like all terror birds, Phorusrhacos were not pushovers, even for Smilodon. What is more, they could have hunted in packs or at least pairs, and on one to one, the biggest Phorusrachos were more than a match for any Smilodon. The simple truth is these became joint shareholders of the top predator niche - and would likely have just tried to avoid each other whenever and wherever possible.
Prehistoric Earth: A Natural History[]
Series 3[]
Series 4[]
Journal Entry[]
Gallery[]
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Trivia[]
- Phorusrhacos is the first terror bird to be brought to the park.
- The sound effects of Phorusrhacos are that of hawk, ostrich, and vulture sound effects.