| Teratornis | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification |
Teratornis is a bird from Pleistocene to Holocene North America. It was quite large with a 14 foot wingspan. It resembled a modern vulture and probably had a similar lifestyle.
Taxonomy[]
Two species are currently recognized, T. merriami and T. woodburnensis. Both went extinct around 10,000 years ago.
Description[]
Teratornis was a massive bird. Estimates have given it a wingspan of around 13 feet (4 meters) and a weight of 15 kilograms. Despite its large size for a bird, it is believed to have be an excellent flyer.
Paleobiology[]
Teratornis has been theorized to be a scavenger. Living at the La Brea Tar Pits, it would have likely preyed upon the remains of mammoths, Bison, and ground sloths.
Extinction[]
Teratornis likely went extinct when the large megafauna of North America went extinct (possibly due to climate change or human hunting). After these animals died, food sources would be scarce, driving the bird to extinction.
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