Fossil Novembirb: Day 4 - Megafowl
Gastornis, affectionally known as the Megafowl, was one of the largest, and certainly one of the most famous, birds of the Early Cenozoic. It stood two metres tall, and had a diet of mostly fruit, seeds and nuts. And that impressibe beak certainly help it crack nuts. These giants lived all over the Northern Hemisphere, as their bones have been found in North America, Europe and Asia. Even close to the North Pole! And contrary to popular belief, Gastornis did not die out as mammals grew to larger sizes. They lived with all sorts of large carnivorous and herbivorous mammals from the Paleocene to the Eocene, and got along with them just fine. And while it did not eat early horses, they might have been wise to stay clear of these mega fowl.
All this put together, it's no wonder Gastornis (also known for its former name Diatryma), a giant flightless herbivorous relative of ducks, got its own day.
