Fossil hunters reveal Squawkzilla, the three-foot tall cannibal parrot [tr]

UK Daily Mail ^ | August 7, 2019 | Joe Pinkstone

[C19fan]

A giant cannibalistic parrot that stood more than three feet tall and lived in New Zealand 19 million years ago has been dubbed 'squawkzilla'.

Scientists reckon the animal, which is officially known as Heracles inexpectatus, feasted on other parrots to nourish its massive frame.

The tree-dwelling creature is believed to have used its enormous beak to feed on the flesh of its own species.

It is thought to be the largest parrot ever and rivals the famed dodo in its bulk, and towers above the current flightless inhabitants of New Zealand, the kakapo.

[C19fan]

I doubt crackers would have kept this parrot happy.

[bgill]

Squawkzilla, kakapo and dodo. Who thinks up these silly names and what are they smoking?

[dp0622]

And he would have eaten Polly.

[PeterPrinciple]

The research team were able to reconstruct Heracles from the remains of two incomplete shinbones.

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Think about it......

[M1903A1]

Like some strange Monty Python/horror mashup.

Just when you thought the parrot was dead....

[Seruzawa]

Wait. From 2 partial bones they can tell what it are?

Pull the other one.

[Fresh Wind]

Considering how loud a parrot or macaw can be, I can’t imagine how much noise this beast could have made!

[M1903A1]

Monty Python had a (cartoon) sketch about that as well....

[Ignatz]

TTIUWOP

[Blogatron]

Velociparrot is much more trendy.

[BigEdLB]

”Announced his seeking of the Democrat Nomination because he has so much in common with the others. Particularly Joe. Biden.”

[GOPJ]

Anyone ever wonder why all the really odd animal fossils come from the area around Australia?

[Moltke]

“Polly wants a cracker. NOW!”

[C19fan]

The answer is the area has been isolated from any other continent for 45 MM years.

[Zathras]

I thought SquawZilla was a Senator from MA.
Age seems correct however.

[Manly Warrior]

“reckon, believe, two incomplete shin bones”;

So much for science, bring on the fiction.

Leaps of logic defying reason.

So, from two partial bones, all of that “science” was developed?

Anyone who accepts such “science” is incompetent.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

Q: What does a 25 lb. Parrot say?

A: Here, kitty, kitty, kitty...

[CrazyIvan]

“Polly want a Whitey, oops, Cracker!!”

[sparklite2]

Dodo meant ‘food’ in the local language. But I hear you. My wonder is how they come up with names for prescription drugs. Like ‘Clopidogrel.’

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks C19fan. They used really big buckets at the take out joints back then.