Prehistoric Bird of the Day - Psilopterus

As phorusrhacids, or "terror birds," go, Psilopterus was the runt of the litter--this prehistoric bird only weighed about 10 to 15 pounds, and was a positive shrimp compared to larger, more dangerous phorusrhacids like Titanis, Kelenken and Phorusrhacos. Even still, the heavily beaked, stockily built, short-winged Psilopterus was more than capable of doing extensive damage to the smaller animals of its South American habitat; it was once thought that this petite terror bird could fly and climb trees, but it was probably as clumsy and land-bound as its fellow phorusrhacids.

Read more about prehistoric birds like Psilopterus: Prehistoric Birds - The Story of Bird Evolution

Photograph of Psilopterus: Wikimedia Commons