Terror Birds are REAL!!

[Jabronie]

I had no idea, pretty cool.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/08/terrorbird/

[-TYRANT-]

I just picktured a smaller character riding one...and instead of attacking with their weapon, they made the mount attack.


SV, you should make mounts that can attack on command from the rider..maybe make it based on creature control =O

[Faranox]

Holy shit.

[deathshroud]

well i think the rhino thing should attack otherwise whats the point in using it over horses

[iewcce]

Originally Posted by deathshroud

well i think the rhino thing should attack otherwise whats the point in using it over horses

Massive hp?

[Incarnadine]

Attacking mounts would be awesome, make em not as fast as horses obviously though XD

Interesting fact bout terrorbirds existing. Now find me Taur dogs!

[teppy]

you guys have heard of moa birds before haven't you? they're related to terror birds but moa's were the biggest of them all. It's crazy when you think about how big an ostrich is... pretty scary to see one of those in person hah

[althaen]

Originally Posted by teppy

you guys have heard of moa birds before haven't you? they're related to terror birds but moa's were the biggest of them all. It's crazy when you think about how big an ostrich is... pretty scary to see one of those in person hah

I have, they were native to New Zealand. They were herbivores so they didn't eat meat like the terrorbird. If you think a moa would be scary, then you should look at what hunted them. Haast's eagles where giant eagles weighing 10-15kg with a wingspan of 2.6-3 metres and moa were their main food source. Imagine getting caught by a Haast's eagle at 50mph.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haast%27s_eagle

[Mats Persson]

Originally Posted by Jabronie

I had no idea, pretty cool.

Yes, isn't it?

Originally Posted by Incarnadine

Interesting fact bout terrorbirds existing. Now find me Taur dogs!

The real life counterpart of the Taur Dog would be one of the members of Amphicyonidae. This family contained a plethora of species. Here are some suggestions on how they might have looked (although we have our own take on it as usual).

Originally Posted by teppy

you guys have heard of moa birds before haven't you? they're related to terror birds but moa's were the biggest of them all. It's crazy when you think about how big an ostrich is... pretty scary to see one of those in person hah

The Moa family was not related to Phorusrhacids ("Terror Birds"). They are two separate branches of the evolutionary tree (separated already in the superorders Palaeognathae and Neognathae). This means that Moas are related to Ostriches, Kiwis and Emus ("primitive birds"), while Terror Birds are related to the "modern birds/fowls".

And in regards to "biggest"; the Moa might have been the tallest, however one of the "Elephant Birds" of Madagascar (Aepyornis) weighted almost twice as much as a Moa. That said, the species in the Ostrich family were omnivorous, insectivorous or herbivorous. They had small beaks, small heads, small necks - and although some may have been fast, they were rather ..friendly. Moa (plus a Haasts Eagle btw) and Aepyornis.

The Phorusracids and Gastornithiformes (Diatrymas) on the other hand were fast-running apex predators and scavengers, possibly using pack-hunting techniques. They were not as tall as the Ostrich-birds but they weighed almost as much, and they had giant beaks and claws (like Phorusrhacos, Brontornis or one of the Gastornis).

And there's another candidate for the "biggest". It's not clear whether the Dromornithidae where carnivores, however a Dromornis stirtoni definitely outweighed all of the above with its 500kg/1100lb.

Last but not least, if you count "bird-like" animals, the Gigantoraptor is of course even bigger. However it's not always easy to tell the difference between a bird and a dinosaur

[Dortorea]

Thanks Mats, nice post.

[Shadowmist]

This thread just got owned by Mats.

[Katana622]

Originally Posted by Mats Persson

Yes, isn't it?

The real life counterpart of the Taur Dog would be one of the members of Amphicyonidae. This family contained a plethora of species. Here are some suggestions on how they might have looked (although we have our own take on it as usual).

The Moa family was not related to Phorusrhacids ("Terror Birds"). They are two separate branches of the evolutionary tree (separated already in the superorders Palaeognathae and Neognathae). This means that Moas are related to Ostriches, Kiwis and Emus ("primitive birds"), while Terror Birds are related to the "modern birds/fowls".

And in regards to "biggest"; the Moa might have been the tallest, however one of the "Elephant Birds" of Madagascar (Aepyornis) weighted almost twice as much as a Moa. That said, the species in the Ostrich family were omnivorous, insectivorous or herbivorous. They had small beaks, small heads, small necks - and although some may have been fast, they were rather ..friendly. Moa (plus a Haasts Eagle btw) and Aepyornis.

The Phorusracids and Gastornithiformes (Diatrymas) on the other hand were fast-running apex predators and scavengers, possibly using pack-hunting techniques. They were not as tall as the Ostrich-birds but they weighed almost as much, and they had giant beaks and claws (like Phorusrhacos, Brontornis or one of the Gastornis).

And there's another candidate for the "biggest". It's not clear whether the Dromornithidae where carnivores, however a Dromornis stirtoni definitely outweighed all of the above with its 500kg/1100lb.

Last but not least, if you count "bird-like" animals, the Gigantoraptor is of course even bigger. However it's not always easy to tell the difference between a bird and a dinosaur

You know that because either:

A. You copy/pasted it from a wiki.
B. You only had the discovery channel growing up.
C. You are some crazy lead creative designer for some game.

[Tizio]

Originally Posted by Katana622

You know that because either:

A. You copy/pasted it from a wiki.
B. You only had the discovery channel growing up.
C. You are some crazy lead creative designer for some game.

C. yay is crazy

[althaen]

Copy Pasta

[Alfa Bravo]

Mats is Nerd!

[Mats Persson]

Originally Posted by Katana622

You know that because either:

No, i know that because I both:

A. copy/pasted it from a wiki.
B. only had the discovery channel growing up.
C. are some crazy lead creative designer for some game.

..although to be completely honest I didn't have discovery. I only had Swedish Television and bad VHS tapes of Discovery which my dad brought home from work

Originally Posted by Shadowmist

This thread just got owned by Mats.

Well, thank you I guess, but that wasn't my intention at all. Owning threads are not the purpose of posts like that. I guess I'm a bit occupationally injured from working as a university teacher for several years; I like knowledge and I like to tell people about stuff (strange, isn't it?).

I happen to be very interested in extinct giant birds (and reptiles, fish and of course "dinosaurs"). And in paleontology, paleobiology and evolutionary biology in general. And in theology, Hellenistic philosophy.. ..uh, well, in a lot of other "strange" areas of knowledge. But no, there's no way in hell I can remember for instance all the individual giant birds, their length and weight and so on. I mean, try to remember Zhongyuanus xichuanensis among hundreds of others; somehow the name doesn't really stick. Not to mention they often change names and move about in the evolutionary tree as the research progresses.

Anyway, at least I know enough to know what the Moa birds looked like, about how much they weighed, and so on. And I know about the Elephant Birds, the Gastornithiformes, and who where predators and not etc.

Now as I don't want people to think that the Moas were "terror birds", and as I want those who are interested (anyone?) to know what the terror birds really were like, I posted a reply. However, the teacher in me doesn't like posts that go:

"that is not true ..because I know it isn't!"

..and therefore I pick up my books and bookmarks and google stuff before posting. This way i get a nice repetition of the things I've forgotten, and my posts becomes a nice summary or place to start for those who are interested (anyone? no?). At least I get my repetition and often learn something new as well.

Originally Posted by Alfa Bravo

Mats is Nerd!

Most definitely.

[Alfa Bravo]

Sir Mats, anyway to put up Ivory or some other interesting bow materials without summoning the powers of an elephant bird?! Was expecting that on Campodon. Maybe a mamute to bring up the Mor-Ikil ?

Yes, some of us relly enjoy those archeological stories.

[Shinzon]

I missed you Mats

... Hold me

[Mats Persson]

Originally Posted by Alfa Bravo

Sir Mats, anyway to put up Ivory or some other interesting bow materials without summoning the powers of an elephant bird?! Was expecting that on Campodon.

You know that Incisium (and Emalj, and Molarium) are dentine materials, right?

[Alfa Bravo]

yeah, once someone told me this ... the Ivory lore book is curently in game but not in any animal loot. (unless im too outdated- and i wish).

by the way, interesting job with the campodon. It really looks like pre historic elephants.

[Sindas]

Really old news.

Like, prehistoric old.