The birds we see today evolved from dinosaurs. Many species have changed so much that they don’t really resemble their ancestors much at all. Yet there are still a handful of birds that look as if they have stepped right out millions of years in the past. So here are some of the most prehistoric-looking birds in the world.
Toco Toucan
The toco toucan is the largest of all toucan species. And it has a huge serrated bill that makes it appear to have dino-like teeth. These serrations actually help the toco toucan to eat fruit which makes up the majority of its diet. Its humongous bill is actually the largest, relative to body size, of all birds.
Sandhill Crane
The sandhill crane is a tall bird with a long neck and large wingspan. Not only do these birds look like they come from another time period, they actually do. Fossils of sandhill cranes have been found that date back to several million years ago.
Pelican
The pelican is a big fish-eating water bird. It has a long beak and unique throat pouch which it uses not only to scoop up its prey from the water but to also drain out the water before the prey is swallowed. These big birds sometimes scoop up other prey as well such as lobsters, crabs, and even birds. The pelican is actually the closest relative of another prehistoric-looking bird: the shoebill.
Andean Condor
The Andean condor has prehistoric proportions and an appearance to match. It is the largest flying bird on the planet and has a wingspan that reaches close to 11 feet (3.4 meters) in width. And its bald head looks similar to that of a dinosaur. A featherless head helps to keep the bird clean when feasting on the carcasses of dead animals.
Greylag Goose
The greylag goose is a large goose species that have grayish-brown plumage, pink feet, and an orange bill. Its bill actually has serrated edges that make it seem as if it has fearsome teeth. These edges are used to help the goose cut soft plant material when feeding. Its bill also has a hard point at the end which is used to help it gouge out pieces of large tubers.
Emu
The emu is the largest bird in its native homeland of Australia and the second largest in the world. Amazingly it can reach prehistoric sizes of up to about 6 feet (around 2 meters tall). It reaches this size and is fully ground at only around 6 months of age. This flightless dinosaur-looking bird is also equipped with big sharp claws on each of its three-toed feet which it uses as weapons to kick potential threats.
Ostrich
The ostrich could be the most prehistoric-looking bird of all, just based on its size. It is the biggest bird in the world. Some ostriches tower at over 9 feet (close to 3 meters) tall. And they can weigh more than 300 pounds (136 kg.). These giants also lay gigantic eggs which typically weigh around 3 pounds (1.4 kg.). Like the emu, the ostrich is also flightless.
Abyssinian Ground Hornbill
The Abyssinian ground hornbill is a unique-looking bird, to say the least. This large species has a horn-like casque on top of its bill and stands around 3 feet tall (about 1 meter).
It is a predator and is usually found on the ground where it hunts and kills small animals with its long curved bill. Adult birds have a distinct patch of bare blue skin around their eye and on their upper throat. Males also have an inflatable patch of bare red skin on their necks as well.
Great Cormorant
The great cormorant is a large black prehistoric-looking sea bird. Because of its looks, it is often compared to a pterodactyl. Unlike the pterodactyl, however, the great cormorant feeds on fish which it dives underwater to catch. The scale-like plumage of the great cormorant is also a reason many people think this species looks reptilian.
Roadrunner
Like a speedy little Velociraptor, the roadrunner chases down its prey on foot. This small bird typically runs around 20mph (32 km/h) and eats a range of animals including snakes, lizards, and small mammals among many others. Even venomous rattlesnakes and scorpions, along with the tarantula hawk (a wasp famous for its incredibly painful sting) are on the menu for these opportunistic and prehistoric-looking birds.
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