because the bones of the skull were hard "soldered" bone sutures, the voice of "birds of horror" was very deep and looked more like a growl than a scream.

Photo: M. Taglioretti and F. Scaglia

an international team of paleontologists found out that lived about 3.5 million years ago carnivorous birds-phororhacos had incredibly low voice, more reminiscent of the roar of animals than birds chirping. The research result was published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

In the course of excavations in the vicinity of Buenos Aires (Argentina), paleontologists have discovered the complete skeleton of a previously unknown species of "birds of terror", called Llallawavis scagliai, and translated from the language of the Quechua Indians as the "great bird".

Paleontologists noted that the skeleton belonged to a small individual, the growth of which was only about 1.2 meters and weighs up to 40 pounds.

According to the scientists, they are incredibly lucky, as the skeleton was contained and the parts that participated in the voice system (trachea, the air, the "voice box"). Thanks to this discovery, the researchers were able to know what sounds uttered an ancient bird.

because the bones of the skull  were firmly "welded" bone sutures, the voice  "birds of horror" was a very deep  and was more like a growl than a scream. Considering that the ears of these creatures were tuned to low frequencies, then most likely Llallawavis scagliai used the growl in the first place for communication, and only then to intimidate other predators.



it is Known that giant carnivorous birds of horror"-phororhacos reaching heights up to 2.5 metres and lived in South America until the commencement of the glacial period. Their distant relatives in Madagascar and New Zealand moas and elephant birds were able to survive until the colonization of these Islands by the natives, and disappeared only in XVII-XVIII centuries.

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