Re: Phorusrhacids killing large mammals in National Geographic Channel

[Graydon <oak@uniserve.com>]

On Tue, Jul 21, 2009 at 03:21:25PM -0300, Augusto Haro scripsit:
> Unless phorusrhacids shake their heads to the sides like crocs and
> dogs, then they may easily kill animals half their size, but I do not
> know of birds which do so.

Herons have been observed drowning rabbits; roadrunners have been
observed beating snakes on rocks.

The idea of doing the dog-style shake is not going to fit with the
morphology but something analogous seems plausible based on extant
examples.

-- Graydon