Dromornis

Dromornis is an extinct genus of giant, flightless birds from Cenozoic Australia. Its species include some of the largest birds known to have lived.

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Dromornithidae: Dromornithidae is an extinct family of large, flightless birds known from Cenozoic Australia. Dromornis is the family’s namesake genus and one of its best-known members.
Avian flightlessness: Avian flightlessness is the loss of powered flight in birds, often accompanied by changes in body size and limb proportions. Dromornis’s massive body and reduced flight capacity exemplify this evolutionary outcome.
Cenozoic: The Cenozoic is the geological era spanning from about 66 million years ago to the present. Dromornis lived during this era, long after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs.
Bird paleontology: Bird paleontology studies fossil birds and the evolutionary history recorded by their remains. Dromornis fossils raise questions about how extinct birds are classified and reconstructed.
Dromornis stirtoni: Dromornis stirtoni is an extinct species of giant bird from the Miocene of Australia. It is the largest named species in the genus and among the heaviest known birds.
Bird beak: A bird beak is a keratin-covered jaw structure used for feeding, grooming, defense, and other tasks. The robust skull and beak of Dromornis have shaped debate about its feeding behavior.
Miocene: The Miocene is an epoch lasting from about 23 million to 5.3 million years ago. The best-known Dromornis fossils date from Miocene deposits.
Paleognathae: Paleognathae is a major lineage of living and extinct birds that includes ostriches, emus, and tinamous. Its placement among bird lineages has been debated in relation to paleognaths.
Dromornis planei: Dromornis planei is an extinct species of dromornithid bird known from Australia. This species provides another point of comparison within the genus.
Paleobiology: Paleobiology uses fossils to reconstruct the biology and ecology of extinct organisms. Its anatomy and fossil context are evidence for reconstructing how Dromornis lived.