#mihirung

"Mihirung" (lit. "bird" in Tjapwuring) is often used as the vernacular for dromornithids, extinct Australian flightless birds. But the mythological bird this term originates from in Tjapwuring folklore, the Mihirung Paringmal (lit. "giant bird") is nothing to balk at; they can create VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS. A fire bird considerably older than the western phoenix!

If an ecological niche is available, it will be filled; and by similar creatures, too.

Staying in Australia for a bit, turns out emus and cassowaries weren't always the only large birds to worry about down under! Dating back to the Pliocene, the genus Dromornis were titans of their time and place, with one species in particular, D. stirtoni, estimated to grow up to ten feet tall, making it the largest bird to ever exist! It's powerful beak and jaws allowed it to cut and crush vegetation (though it likely also scavenged on occasion).

Dromornis!

The New Zealand scientist dubbed "Mr Moa" has helped re-write the family tree of Australia's own ancient flightless birds, the mihirungs (Dromornithidae).