Re: Phorusrhacids killing large mammals in National Geographic Channel

["Richard W. Travsky" <rtravsky@uwyo.edu>]

On Fri, 24 Jul 2009, Erik Boehm wrote:
> How "robust" is the immune system of an Osterich, or the immune system 
> of birds in general?
>
> I recently had a bird (a Budgie/parakeet) for all of 1 day after it was 
> rescued from my cats mouth shortly after the cat caught it.
> [...]
> Apparently these birds are considered doomed from minor abrasions caused 
> by cats - their immune system appears to be too weak to fend off an 
> infection from a superficial cut, or at least a bite.
>
> Is it likely a Phorusrhacid would be similarly doomed by a defensive 
> bite from a mammal?

Not up on birds as pets - are they mass bred, so to speak? Parakeet farms? 
I wonder if that could weaken their immune system, and/or introduce
genetic problems like some dog breeds...