New research on a previously unknown bird species discovered that giant petrels dominated the skies and waters of the Southern Hemisphere about 3 million years ago with their lethal hooked beaks and piercing eyes.
Researchers reported in their study, titled "A New Giant Petrel (Macronectes, Aves: Procellariidae) from the Pliocene of Taranaki, New Zealand" published in the journal Taxonomy, that the well-preserved skill and weathered humerus found the only extinct gigantic petrel species in New Zealand's northern island.
This photograph taken on December 28, 2022 shows a giant petrel inside the crater of the Saint Paul Island, part of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands in the Indian Ocean.
Insights Scientists Gained From the Fossils
According to Live Science, the fossils were found by amateur fossil hunter Alastair Johnson at the Tangahoe Formation, an area that continues to offer spectacular fossils of seabirds, in 2017. Although, they found the humerus separately two years after the other fossils and at a different spot along the rock formation.
They named the new giant petrel species as Macronectes tinae, in honor of Johnson's late partner Tina King who was fond of the giant petrel skull. Researchers also noted that the fossils are the first distinct evidence of an extinct giant petrel species, offering new insights into how its modern relatives evolved.
Fossil analysis also revealed that M. tinae is part of the giant petrel genus Macronectes and is smaller compared to the modern giant petrels Macronectes giganteus and Macronectes halli that live in the Southern Hemisphere. But unlike these two species, the fossils indicate that M. tinae were about the size of the smallest giant petrels alive today with a wingspan of around 5 feet across.
In terms of size, scientists believe that giant petrels are an anomaly as most other petrel species are slightly smaller than ducks. That means the body size of M. tinae makes sense, paleontologist Daniel Ksepka explained to Live Science.
More so, the ancient species seem to have an advantage over its modern counterparts because it can walk well on land, which helps them hunt. They also believed that these ancient giant petrels enjoyed a face full of blood and guts based on their sinister-looking beaks.
Ksepka pointed out that people might not care how giant petrels looked like about 2 to 3 million years ago, but understanding how various groups of animals were distributed during Earth's warmer period may help scientists predict how they would evolve in the future.
READ ALSO: Flightless Bird Manages to "Come Back" From Extinction
More About Modern Giant Petrels
Giant petrels are quite unique birds with massive bulbous beaks the size of tiny albatrosses, as per the Museum of New Zealand. These birds are well-known for following ships and engaging in scavenging behaviors, like becoming completely buried in the carcass of their prey and becoming coated with blood and other gunk.
Despite that, they serve an important role as marine cleaners. Many still find them endearing birds due to their unique look ad distinctive musty smell. Contrary to how they behave while fighting over carrion, giant petrels are quite timid and wary towards people on land.
But like most kinds of petrels, they roam the oceans for most of their lives. For nesting, they maintain long-term partners and share the duties of raising a single chick every year.
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