A gigantic parrot that traveled through New Zealand around 19 million years ago was 1 m high-over half the average human height was discovered by new research.
The parrot remains were discovered in the vicinity of St Bathans, in southern Otago, in New Zealand.
Because of its size, unlike most birds today, the parrot is thought to have been flightless and carnivorous.
Bird research was released in Biology Letters on Tuesday.
The bird would have been twice heavier than the kākāpo, the biggest earlier recognized parrots, weighing just over one stone (7 kg).
Professor Trevor Worthy, a Palaeontologist at the University of Flinders in Australia and lead writer of the research, informed the BBC “There are no other gigantic parrots in the globe.” “It’s very important to find one.”
In recognition of its extraordinary size and strength, Palaeontologists have labeled the new species Heracles inexpecatus.
The bones–which were originally thought to be of an eagle or duck–were stored for 11 years before a group of paleontologists had reanalyzed them previously this year.
Professor Worthy said one of his learners came across the bones of the parrot during a study project by accident in his laboratory.
Mike Archer of NSW University of Paleontology said that the beak of the parrot was so large it “could break open anything it fenced.”
The professor said the parrot “can have had more than standard parrot, maybe even other parrots,” to the AFP news agencies.
As it had no predators, however, Professor Worthy informed the BBC that it was unlikely to be aggressive.
He said: “It was likely on the floor, walking around and eating mainly seeds and nuts.
Paul Scofield, the senior curator of natural history at Canterbury Museum, told AFP that researchers were “putting our money on it being flightless”.
In New Zealand, once home to the Moa, a now-extinct species whose altitude is estimated to be 3,6 m (11 ft 8 in). The discovery of big birds is not unusual.
The region known for being abundant in Miocene fossils, which ranged from 23 million to 5.3 million years ago, is Saint Bathans where the leg bones of this big parrot were excavated.
“Nobody has ever discovered an extinct gigantic parrot until now–everywhere, however,” Prof. Worthy said to AFP.
“We have been excavating these fossil deposits for 20 years, and each year reveals new birds and other animals… no doubt there are many more unexpected species yet to be discovered in this most interesting deposit.”
