WillemSvdMerwe on DeviantArthttps://www.deviantart.com/willemsvdmerwe/art/Aptornis-defossor-South-Island-Adzebill-545231929WillemSvdMerwe

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Aptornis defossor, South Island Adzebill

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Adzebills are sadly extinct today.  They lived in New Zealand.  When their bones were first discovered by Europeans, they were thought to be small moas (I'll feature moas here soon) but now it's recognized that they were of a different lineage, perhaps close to cranes, or perhaps close to some other enigmatic birds like the Kagus of New Caledonia.  They were flightless with small wings (in my reconstruction hidden beneath loose, fluffy flank and back feathers) but stout legs.  The reached about 80 cm/32" in height and 18 kg/40 lbs in weight.  They had distinctive, stout bills and were probably hunters of a variety of small creatures.  Can anyone tell what the one has caught here?  Adzebills became extinct before Europeans reached New Zealand, along with a great variety of other native bird species.  Charcoal drawing, colour with Photoshop.
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Permian3's avatar

A favourite extinct bird from my country - lovely painting.