New Parrot Fossil Found

JuicyNip · Aug 6, 2019

This article came up in my news feed and I thought some of you might find it as interesting as I did. Scientists have found the world's largest parrot fossil somewhere in New Zealand. You can read about it here:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/fossil-find-reveals-that-the-worlds-largest-parrot-was-over-three-feet-tall/ar-AAFr8mW

Kiwibird · Aug 6, 2019

We all know parrots are as smart as young children, but this one was the size of a small child. I must say, I would not want to be bitten by a 3’ tall parrot

On a side note, maybe it’s just the artists rendition but am I the only one who thinks it looks like a giant kea? Distant ancestor perhaps?

Rozalka · Aug 7, 2019

Thanks for sharing!!
I had a problem with feeds and looked for a comparison:

Flboy · Aug 7, 2019

This may explain what happened here!
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...-feet-tall/ar-AAFr8mW?fullscreen=true#image=1
And the one and only:

Rickeybird - Patagonian Conure - May 20, 2016

Allee · Aug 7, 2019

JuicyNip, thanks for sharing the article. The thought of a three foot tall parrot in hot pursuit of a human, scary!

David, please contact the Paleontologists that discovered the fossil and let them know what you discovered. The similarities are intense but we have to keep RB’s identity and whereabouts to ourselves.

SailBoat · Aug 7, 2019

And, within hours of the finding of a surviving population of these giant Parrots, some hapless Human would attempt to bring one home as a Companion Parrot.

Clean-up would be time consuming!

Opening coconut shells??? What food source would require a bill of that size. Maybe nuts and other like food sources had been much larger during that time period???
Thanks for posting the Link!

Kiwibird · Aug 7, 2019

SailBoat said:
And, within hours of the finding of a surviving population of these giant Parrots, some hapless Human would attempt to bring one home as a Companion Parrot.
Clean-up would be time consuming!

Opening coconut shells??? What food source would require a bill of that size. Maybe nuts and other like food sources had been much larger during that time period???
Thanks for posting the Link!

I speculate they probably ate primitive hominids

Our distant ancestors used to be a whole lot shorter than we are, and we all know the relationship between parrots and humans goes way, way back

Seriously though, I bet it was slightly more omnivorous than most modern parrots. It was colder back then, especially somewhere it still gets cold like New Zealand, so I’m betting plant like wasn’t as diverse. I’m thinking it was probably at least partially a meat eater. Maybe even a bone eater with its enormous beak?

Rozalka · Aug 7, 2019

Kiwibird said:
Seriously though, I bet it was slightly more omnivorous than most modern parrots. It was colder back then, especially somewhere it still gets cold like New Zealand, so I’m betting plant like wasn’t as diverse. I’m thinking it was probably at least partially a meat eater. Maybe even a bone eater with its enormous beak?

but continents were little otherwise arranged...

Quote:
When Heracles was alive, it would have been surrounded by laurel and palm trees in a subtropical forest.

I'm not sure but is it mean then was warmer in New Zealand?

CallumConure · Aug 7, 2019

I'd still love to have a 3-foot parrot as a pet... lol. At that point, I wouldn't need a dog, just an absolutely massive parrot. So long as the population wouldn't be in danger. I'd love to have a Kakapo, but they're critically endangered and New Zealand has strict bird-keeping laws anyways, so that'll never happen.

Imagine having a terror bird, like Titanis walleri, as a pet! Clean up with one of those around would be absolutely mind-blowing. And attempting to keep them fed.... Jeez. They stood a whole head taller than the average man and I would not want that bird hungry.

Sort of reminds me of an episode from that extremely brief TV show series, Prehistoric Park.

New Zealand's got awesome birds. I'd visit the place just to see all of the various bird species.

JuicyNip · Aug 7, 2019

Kiwibird said:
We all know parrots are as smart as young children, but this one was the size of a small child. I must say, I would not want to be bitten by a 3’ tall parrot

On a side note, maybe it’s just the artists rendition but am I the only one who thinks it looks like a giant kea? Distant ancestor perhaps?

Yeah, I thought so too.

JuicyNip · Aug 7, 2019

Rozalka said:
Kiwibird said:

Seriously though, I bet it was slightly more omnivorous than most modern parrots. It was colder back then, especially somewhere it still gets cold like New Zealand, so I’m betting plant like wasn’t as diverse. I’m thinking it was probably at least partially a meat eater. Maybe even a bone eater with its enormous beak?

Click to expand...

but continents were little otherwise arranged...

Quote:
When Heracles was alive, it would have been surrounded by laurel and palm trees in a subtropical forest.

I'm not sure but is it mean then was warmer in New Zealand?

I think so, but not sure. Artist recreations of that era show tons of jungle-like flora, that would indicate a warm climate.

JuicyNip · Aug 7, 2019

Rozalka said:
Thanks for sharing!!
I had a problem with feeds and looked for a comparison:

Yikes! Really puts things in perspective.

Squeekmouse · Aug 7, 2019

AmyMyBlueFront · Aug 7, 2019

Wow! Very interesting article..thanks for the link!

Jim

ParrontMitch · Aug 7, 2019

Considering these days YouTubers are doing things like trying to keep cougars in their apartment kitchens as “kitty pets”, I am terrified to think what it would be like if these guys still existed! Oh please, who am I fooling? My dream bird is a Greater Vasa, and those things are practically dinosaurs!!! Seriously, though, this is so cool!

Scott · Aug 7, 2019

Fascinating article, thanks!! Imagine the attitude of a 3 foot parrot??!!

AmyMyBlueFront · Aug 7, 2019

Scott said:
Fascinating article, thanks!! Imagine the attitude of a 3 foot parrot??!!

A hormonal p.o. parrot on top of it all!!!

Jim

New Parrot Fossil Found

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