Discover 11 Modern-Day Birds That Look Like Dinosaurs

Southern cassowaries live primarily in the tropical forests of Australia and New Guinea. They can likewise be discovered at Paluma Range National Park, the Kulla (McIlwraith Range) National Park, and the Jardine River National Park in Australia.

There are 2 other cassowary types in addition to the southern cassowary: the northern cassowary (Casuarius unappendiculatus) and the dwarf cassowary (Casuarius bennetti).

Shoebill Stork (Balaeniceps rex)

The shoebill stork is likewise referred to as the whalebill and the whale-headed stork. These unusual and rather fearsome-looking birds definitely appear like modern-day dinosaurs.

The enormous costs which offers this bird its name is among the biggest expenses of all living birds. The shoebill has the ability to capture big victim and swallow it entire. This bird’s preferred victim is big fish such as catfish, tilapia, bichirs, and lungfish. If fish aren’t available, the shoebill stork will likewise take advantage of water snakes, lizards, turtles, frogs, mollusks, and even young crocodiles. 

Fossil proof recommends shoebill storks might have existed as long as 30 million years back. Today, this dinosaur-like bird is discovered in the thick marshlands and freshwater swamps of East African countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Zambia.

Kiwi (Apteryx spp.)

The kiwi is the informal nationwide bird of New Zealand. There are 5 types of kiwi, all of which are discovered just in New Zealand.

The kiwi is a primitive-looking bird with a round body and a long, sharp beak. It is the tiniest of the ratites. The brown kiwi is the biggest kiwi types. It is approximately the exact same size as a domestic chicken. The bird’s plumage almost looks more like fur than plumes. 

The kiwi’s call, particularly that of the female, sounds almost ancient.

Not just does the kiwi appearance and seem like something out of prehistory, however it likewise shares its DNA with the one and just Tyrannosaurus rex!

Ostrich (Struthio camelus)

The ostrich is the biggest bird on the planet, maturing to 9 feet high and weighing upwards of 300 pounds. This enormous bird looks ancient in almost every possible method. Numerous resemblances in between the contemporary ostrich and the Ornithomimus, an ostrich-like dinosaur, have actually been recorded. Like the ostrich, the Ornithomimus had actually an extended neck and plumes just on its primary body.

Ostriches might be flightless, however they can keep up remarkable speed. A fully grown ostrich has a 16-foot stride and can run up to 43 miles per hour!

In an intriguing evolutionary twist, the ostrich is the only bird with 2 toes. Every other bird has 3 or 4 toes. The ostrich’s feet definitely appear like something right out of Jurassic Park. 

The ostrich’s huge eggs appear like they might have been laid by a dinosaur. At well over 3 pounds, it is the biggest egg on the planet.

South Island Takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri)

The takahē is the biggest rail, a family of little to medium-sized flightless birds with brief wings, big feet, and long toes.

This unusual New Zealand bird has red legs and a big, strong red beak. Its head has an obvious dinosaur-like shape. Its clawed feet likewise have an unique Velociraptor ambiance.

This bird not just appears like a dinosaur however it was believed to have actually gone the method of the dinosaurs. It was when thought to be extinct. (The North Island takahē, regretfully, is extinct.) After 50 years of assumed termination, the takahē was notoriously found in 1948. There are simply over 400 people understood to exist today.

Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

The turkey’s connections with dinosaurs might not be as obvious at first since a lot of us are so acquainted with the bird. It is, after all, the essential of the Thanksgiving table in the United States. Ben Franklin even lobbied to call the turkey the U.S. nationwide bird instead of the bald eagle.

But, putting all that familiarity aside, have you ever actually took a look at a turkey? It is a rather strange bird with lots of ancient similarities. 

Turkeys are come down from meat-eating theropods such as the Velociraptor and T. rex. That’s right. Your Thanksgiving turkey is a T. rex relative! It is particularly seen in the turkey’s dinosaur-like legs.

Do you break the wishbone after Thanksgiving supper? That is another dinosaur resemblance. Turkeys and most other contemporary birds have wishbones, however so did the T. rex and Velociraptor.

Chicken (​​Gallus gallus)

The chicken is another domestic bird that has direct ties to the T. rex. In 2003, a T. rex thigh bone was found. Collagen from that bone was genetically evaluated and compared to the DNA of 21 contemporary animals. The proteins discovered in the T. rex DNA were most comparable to the chicken.

A chicken’s foot and the foot of a T. rex are structurally comparable. They both have scaly, hand-like feet. Each has 3 fingers and the middle finger is the longest. Each likewise has a 4th digit on the opposite side.

Chickens were domesticated over 10,000 years back, however the simple chicken still keeps its wild, ancient roots. The next time you see a chicken, remember you are taking a look at among the closest living connections to the magnificent T. rex!

Hornbill (Bucerotidae)

There are 60 types of hornbills, and a few of them appear like they might have flown right out of an episode of The Flintstones.

Like the cassowary, hornbills have a casque. Unlike the cassowary, the casque sits on top of the bird’s costs, not atop its head.

The helmeted hornbill has the biggest casque of all hornbills. The casque can represent 10 percent of the male helmeted hornbill’s overall body weight. This hornbill types is likewise among the most prehistoric-looking of all the hornbills.

The casque enhances the loud calls of the hornbill, which differ rather in a different way amongst the 60 hornbill types.

The helmeted hornbill’s call constructs to a laughlike noise.

The trumpeter hornbill sounds a bit like a picky infant.

Hornbills are discovered in ​​much of sub-Saharan Africa, India, the Philippines, and the Solomon Islands. 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

The terrific blue heron is another descendant of theropod dinosaurs. One take a look at the feet of this big water bird exposes the connection to the Velociraptors of prehistory.

Great blue herons have an enormous, seven-foot wingspan and are usually discovered in marshes, and along rivers and coastlines from southern Canada to northern South America.

These predatory birds primarily consume fish. They will likewise precede reptiles, pests, other birds, and periodically even little mammals.

Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)

The emu is the second-largest bird in the ratite group, routing just the ostrich. And like the ostrich, the emu is a strange-looking bird that may appear to be more at home amongst the dinosaurs than in our contemporary world.

It’s like long legs and three-toed feet would make a Velociraptor proud. The bluish skin on its neck and head likewise looks more dinosaur-like than birdlike. 

Emus can mature to 6 feet high and weigh well over 100 pounds. These big omnivorous birds consume seeds, fruit, pests, and little reptiles. They are discovered in every state in Australia other than Tasmania.

Crane (Gruidae)

There are 15 types of cranes. These high birds are discovered on every continent other than South America and Antarctica. The whooping crane is the highest bird in the United States, standing 5 feet high with a seven-foot wingspan. 

Their long legs and extended necks are definitely similar to their dinosaur forefathers. All types of cranes other than 2 (Blue and Demoiselle cranes) have bare skin on their faces, which contributes to the ancient look of these big birds.

Most cranes nest in wetlands shallows. Their omnivorous diet plan is extremely versatile to whatever is available. Cranes can take in seeds, nuts, acorns, leaves, and berries. They will likewise consume pests, birds, little reptiles, little mammals, snails, worms, frogs, and little fish.

“Dinosaur” Birds

Many people see birds every day. They are so prevalent in our lives that we typically don’t think about how impressive these animals are. Every bird we see is a descendant of dinosaurs. Some simply look more like their ancient forefathers than others.

Up Next: