Phorusrhacos

Phorusrhacos (Phorusrhacos longissimus) pronounced Fo-Russ-RAH-kuss, was a long necked bird that lived in South America 27 million-15,000 years ago. Phorusrhacos means "rag bearer". They were called Terror Birds, because they were so terrifying and fierce. Everything in the Pleistocene time period was scared of them, excluding the Smilodon.

Phorusrhacos were carnivores. They ate small mammals and carcasses. They sometimes ate what the Smilodon hunted, when the Smilodon finished their meal. They were related to Seriema birds, but they were much taller. Phorusrhacos were 2.5 metres tall. On their heads, there were loose-looking feathers, probably why their name meant rag bearer. Some fossils of them are found in North America. But mainly, they were found in South America, normally Argentina. They used to be the top predators in South America. But that was before the Smilodon populator came.

Terror Birds were fast, and dangerous. They were huge and had a sharp beak, along with sharp talons. They ran fast like ostriches, because their legs were so long. Phorusrhacos didn't look a lot like ostriches, but they were fast like them. Phorusrhacos were dangerous birds in South America. They also lived through an Ice Age.