![]() At this point the land bridge between South and North America had not yet fully formed and would not do so for another 2 million years. What is fascinating about Titanis’ North American presence is that dating of the sediments its fossils were found in indicates that the earliest Titanis were present in the continent 5 million years ago. To date it remains the only Phorusrhacid known from North America, spreading into the continent as it followed its migrating prey. We know that the Phorusrhacids spread north due to the discovery of Titanis. I think this cartoon perfectly illustrates Titanis‘ arrival in North America! (though it happened roughly 5 million years ago rather than 62 million years ago). This event is known as the “Great American Interchange”, and the Phorusrhacids were among the animals that took advantage of this new opportunity. This included megafauna such as the Ground Sloths (e.g., Megatherium), giant relatives of armadillos known as the “Glyptodonts” and smaller animals such as the opossum. Conversely South American animals were able to migrate the other way. This allowed animal life to mix and migrate, with North American animals such as Sabre-Tooth Cats (e.g., Smilodon), the Elephant-like “Gomphotheres”, Horses, Camels and more spreading into South America. The movement of continents brought South and North America closer together and a land bridge formed. But then, 3 million years ago, the status quo changed. ![]() However, apart from one or two snake (e.g., Titanoboa) and Crocodilian species (e.g., Purrusaurus), none reached the same or surpassed the towering sizes of the Phorusrhacids, and none occupied the top predator niche for as long. The only other carnivorous competitors in South America at this time were snakes, crocodilians and a now extinct group of mammals known as the “Sparassodonts” (whose most famous member is Thylacosmilus, a carnivore which convergently evolved sabre teeth similar to the “Sabre-Tooth Cats”). As a result, there were few competitors for the throne of “top predator”, and the Phorusrhacids quickly established themselves, occupying this niche for the next 55 million years. During this time South America was an isolated continent and was not connected to North America as it is today. This was not long, geologically speaking, after their close kin, the non-avian dinosaurs, had been laid to rest in the fires of a meteor strike. However, many people know this group by the nickname, “The Terror Birds!” They first evolved in South America roughly 60 million years ago during the Palaeocene period. Titanis walleri (meaning “Waller’s Titan”, after Benjamin Walker, who discovered the first Titanis fossils) was a member of the now extinct group of birds known as the Phorusrhacidae. But what do we know about “Titanis the Terror Bird?”īefore we get into the details, it is necessary to set some groundwork with a bit of Titanis family history. Listening to the song “Titanis the Terror Bird” by Howdytoons makes me imagine Titanis as an action movie hero, adventuring into strange new lands and encountering new fierce mammalian adversaries. A reconstruction of what “Titanis the Terror Bird” could have looked like in life!
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