Abstract
Say hello to Heracles inexpectatus, a parrot the size of a human child. But don’t worry, you won’t meet one face to face. Our new discovery, published today, lived around 20 million years ago in what is now New Zealand – adding to the islands’ rich and storied collection of remarkable bird species.
Heracles was truly a giant among birds. It was about 1m long, stood 80-90cm tall, and weighed about 7kg. That makes it about the same size as a dodo, and far bigger than its modern-day cousin, the kākāpō. Unsurprisingly, given its heft, it was likely also flightless.
Heracles was truly a giant among birds. It was about 1m long, stood 80-90cm tall, and weighed about 7kg. That makes it about the same size as a dodo, and far bigger than its modern-day cousin, the kākāpō. Unsurprisingly, given its heft, it was likely also flightless.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Specialist publication | The Conversation |
| Publication status | Published - 7 Aug 2019 |
Bibliographical note
You are free to republish this article both online and in print. We ask that you follow some simple guidelines.Please do not edit the piece, ensure that you attribute the author, their institute, and mention that the article was originally published on The Conversation.
Keywords
- evolution
- megafauna
- parrots
- dodo