Dinornis

The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Dinornis

 

a genus of extinct birds of the order Dinornithiformes. Remains of Dinornis are known from the Pleistocene and Quaternary deposits of New Zealand. There are five species. Members of the genus grew to a height of 3 m and, with the Madagascar Aepyornis, were the largest birds of prey. Their eggs weighed as much as 8 kg. Like the Aepyornis, Dinornis was exterminated by man in the 18th century.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.