Re: [dinosaur] *Heracles inexpectatus*, giant parrot from the Miocene of NZ

[Tim Williams <tijawi@gmail.com>]

Ronald Orenstein <ron.orenstein@rogers.com> wrote:

> I note your point about Strigopids, but I still think something more like a 
> supersized version of a Kea or Kaka beak, perhaps with a massive hook that 
> could be used in digging, would be more likely. Again, the trend to larger 
> bills with increased
> size is widespread in parrots; you can see it within genera such as 
> Psittacula and Tanygnathus.

You may well be correct!  Personally, I think _Heracles_ as a
big-headed, big-beaked dodo analog would be the most interesting
outcome.  :-)


> We need more fossils!

Definitely - and especially true of the St Bathans Fauna.  As well as
more material of _Heracles_ (such as a skull and wings), more of
_Proapteryx_ would be handy (to determine if it was volant), as well
as more of the unnamed St Bathans non-therian mammal.  Just for
starters....  :-)