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The first novel in my Bridgers series takes place on a version of Earth where birds have evolved to fill all the niches that are filled by mammals on our Earth. However, in the past, our version of Earth has had some carnivorous birds that would give the monstrous birds in Bridgers 1 a run for their money. Including the Terror Birds. So, what the heck is a Terror Bird? These were large flightless birds that lived in South America (and up into North America) between 62 million years ago and 15,000 years ago (although some evidence suggests they only survived until 1.8 million years ago). They were huge, fast, vicious predators. We have found evidence of about 25 species of terror birds. Terror birds were big! They ranged in size from 3.3 to 9.8 feet (1 to 3 meters) tall. We think the larger ones weighed at least 330 pounds (150 kg). In fact, the largest bird skull ever found was a terror bird skull, 28 inches (71 cm) long, with a wicked-looking predator beak 18 inches (46 cm) long. Terror bird is an appropriate name for these creatures. They must have struck terror into the mammals they preyed on. They had clawed wings that were more like arms (hey... just like the birds in Bridgers 1). They had huge, powerful talons (hind feet). They almost definitely grabbed their prey with their huge beaks. But CT scans of their skulls indicate they couldn't swing their prey side to side with much force. They had much more power in their up and down motion, and therefore we think they killed their prey by grabbing the creatures in their massive jaws and bashing them into the ground repeatedly until dead. Today, roadrunners, seriemas, and secretary birds still practice this feeding technique. And terror birds were fast. Based on the birds' size and the structure of their bones, scientists believe they could run at least 35 miles per hour (56 km/h). It's possible these birds sometimes ate large mammals, but most likely they commonly ate rabbit-sized creatures that were easier and less dangerous to kill. Scientists are pretty sure there is a descendant of terror birds still living today. It's called the Seriema. There are two species, and they live in South America (where most of the terror birds once lived). They stand a little less than a meter tall. They can fly for short distances, but they typically hunt while running. They even escape predators by running, and they can run fast. Like their terror bird ancestors did, they chase down prey, such as insects, lizards, snakes, frogs, birds, and rodents, then kill them by repeatedly slamming them against the ground with their beak. The third photo below is a red-legged seriema.    Photo Credits: - Terror bird head - DepositPhotos - Terror bird on dry lake bed - DepositPhotos - Red-legged seriema - DepositPhotos
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Woodpeckers live pretty much everywhere in the world except Madagascar, Antarctica, and Australia and the surrounding islands, with more than 300 species worldwide. So, most people have seen these crazy birds banging their heads against trees like there’s no tomorrow. Why do they do it? Three reasons. The first reason is to communicate to other woodpeckers, both to attract mates and to tell other woodpeckers this is their territory. This is called drumming, and it is the typical rapid series of hits that we usually hear from woodpeckers. Each species has a specific number of hits in the drumming roll, as well as a specific length of the roll, cadence, and other variables. This way, the birds can announce what species they are. Sometimes they even do this on houses with metal or plastic siding, simply because they like how loud it can be. While drumming, they hammer the tree up to 20 times per second, and during mating season, male woodpeckers make up to 12,000 hits per day. The second reason is for hunting food. Woodpeckers are typically predators, feeding on insects and other small animals, and they often pound on the bark, or even burrow into soft trees with their beaks, to find these creatures. The third reason is to excavate holes in trees to make their nests or to store food. In places where trees are in short supply, they will create cavities in large cactuses or even in vertical earth banks by rivers. So, how do they do all this pounding without damaging their brains? Well, first, a millisecond before the bird’s beak hits the tree, thick muscles in the neck tighten, which causes the force to radiate down the neck muscles, thus protecting the skull. Woodpeckers also have some anatomical characteristics that help immensely. For example, woodpeckers have unusually small brains. Smaller brains have less mass, thus decreasing the chances of damage with each blow. Also, a woodpecker’s upper beak is not the same length as its lower beak, so only one beak hits the tree, softening each blow. Detailed scans show that woodpecker skulls are hard on the outside, with soft, spongy areas on the inside, concentrated where they can best cushion the brain. A woodpecker’s brain fits tightly inside the skull, which keeps the brain from jiggling around. The brain is also oriented inside the skull to increase the area of contact when pecking, which further reduces stress on the brain. One researcher said the brain is “like a half orange with the flat side facing the front.” So, these adaptations keep the woodpecker’s brain safe through all of that hammering. Let’s end this head-splitting mystery with a smile: A woodpecker with a sore beak walks into a bar and asks, “Where is the bar tender?” Here is a red-headed woodpecker that visited us a few months ago.  A few days ago, I posted about the abundant raccoons and their young that like to invade our deck, looking for anything edible (including sugar water for the hummingbirds). Well, here is further proof of their determination and smarts. We have a corn feeder that throws a handful of corn twice per day to give the deer and turkeys a nice treat. The 30-gallon feeder hangs from a winch system chained to a tree. Well, the winch finally gave up the ghost (the gears stripped), and I had to leave the feeder hanging near the ground while I ordered a replacement winch. After only one day, we saw that a raccoon had figured out it could reach those few kernels of corn that always remain in the small space below the spinner and on top of the motor. Usually, there will be a dozen or so kernels sitting there. But the raccoon kept getting more corn... and more... and more. I grabbed my camera and zoomed in on the critter. That's when I saw it had figured out how to manually turn the spinner and make more corn fall out onto the little platform. And more corn. And more. Well, the winch arrived, so I guess I need to fix it so I can once again crank the feeder up out of the raccoon's reach. But, I'm wondering... now that the little genius has learned this trick, will it figure out a way to reach out from the tree and get unlimited corn? It would be a stretch, but we ARE talking about a raccoon here. The moment the critter sees that I've raised the feeder, one thought will go through it's little brain: Challenge accepted.  Our deck and yard are visited frequently by a mother raccoon with three youngsters, another with four youngsters, and even one with five. We have to bring our bird feeders in every night, or these little bandits will knock them down and destroy them. One night, I looked out on the deck, and a raccoon was standing on its tippy toes on the railing, reaching as high as it could to tip a hummingbird feeder sideways in such a way that the sugar water was pouring down into its mouth. Points for creativity, I suppose. A few nights ago, we went out onto the deck to find a mother and four kids crawling all over everything. Adult raccoons will run off when you shout at them, but we have found that the youngsters simply freeze, and they hardly budge even when you nudge them along with your foot. This photo shows one that refused to move. Raccoons exist over an astoundingly wide range, including all of North America, Central America, and into South America. Unfortunately, they have been introduced in Europe and Asia, and since raccoons are incredibly adaptive, and they even thrive in cities, they have proliferated in these other places as an invasive species. Personally, I like seeing raccoons, but they can be persistent!  |
Stan's Cogitations
Everyone needs a creative outlet. That's why I write. Archives
December 2025
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