Dinosaurs & Prehistory - Other prehistoric animals - Phorusrhacos - Terror birds - Birds - Miocene
Which bird living today is one of the closest relatives of terror birds such as Phorusrhacos?
Correct!
Phorusrhacos longissimus belonged to the Phorusrhacidae, the famous “terror birds”. These large, predominantly flightless birds of prey were among the most important land predators of South America during much of the Cenozoic. Phorusrhacos himself lived in the Miocene in what is now Argentina. Surprisingly, their closest living relatives today are the Seriemas from South America. These long-legged ratites belong to the family Cariamidae and are used in scientific studies as the closest living comparison group to the Phorusrhacids. However, the size difference is enormous. Phorusrhacos could reach a height of around 2.4 meters and had a huge skull around 65 centimeters long. Its strong legs, large head and strongly downward-curved beak clearly show its predatory specialization. Biomechanical studies of other terror birds also show that their skulls were particularly able to withstand the stress of vertical blows with their beaks. It is likely that at least some Phorusrhacids attacked their prey with targeted, powerful downward blows.
The closest living relatives of terrorist birds such as Phorusrhacos include the South American Seriemas.
