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Diatryma/Gastornis a peaceful herbivore?

Adam Khor · 2019-08-06 22:44:58

Scientists say a recently discovered footprint may suggest so. Im not sure I buy their reasons, tho. According to them, "all carnivorous birds have sharp, long talons". Only, modern day carnivorous birds can fly. This guy was flightless and its toenails were worn from constant walking on the ground. The toenails of T. rex…

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06-08-2019 11:44pm

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Adam Khor

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Scientists say a recently discovered footprint may suggest so. Im not sure I buy their reasons, tho. According to them, "all carnivorous birds have sharp, long talons".

Only, modern day carnivorous birds can fly.

This guy was flightless and its toenails were worn from constant walking on the ground. The toenails of T. rex were rather blunt too (they were more like ostrich toenails than eagle talons). The thing Diatryma and T. Rex have in common is that whatever they were eating, they used their jaws, not their feet, to get their food.

As for their being slow, they could have been ambush hunters. I think we should wait until we find its stomach contents or something to be really sure...

http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1112736041/giant-eocene-bird-peaceful-herbivore-112312/

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