The adzebills, genus Aptornis, were two closely related bird species, the North Island adzebill, (Aptornis otidiformis), and the South Island adzebill, (Aptornis defossor), of the extinct family Aptornithidae. The family was endemic to New Zealand.

Jun 8, 2020 · On display in the Southern Lands, Southern People gallery is an extinct bird with a mysterious history. This bird is not very well known by the public of New Zealand and its past is being uncovered slowly. This bird is the adzebill, an endemic bird that stood at about 80 cm tall.

The smaller of two large heavy flightless rail- or crane-like extinct bird species with a massive skull, long pointed heavily down-curved bill, long thick neck, and short robust legs and feet. Similar in size to the smaller moa species, the North Island adzebill was 20% smaller than its South Island counterpart.

The South Island adzebill was about 20% heavier than its North Island counterpart. This large flightless bird had a massive, thick-walled skull with a remarkable bill that was long, pointed, down-curved, and robust.

Ornithologists have been arguing for more than a century about just what an adzebill was. Hefty flightless birds with massive beaks, they disappeared in the first wave of extinctions following human arrival in Aotearoa and are known only from their skeletons.

The adzebills, genus Aptornis, were two closely related bird species, the North Island adzebill, Aptornis otidiformis, and the South Island adzebill, Aptornis defossor, of the extinct family Aptornithidae.

Mar 2, 2019 · Using ancient DNA once again, the new collaborative team sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of the adzebill, ten prospective relatives, and 98 of the 148 species of living rails.

The adzebill was, as far as anyone can tell, a giant flightless killer in the shape of a goose. It had a formidable beak shaped like a pick, very strong legs, and probably weighed around 20 kilograms.

The North Island Adzebill (Aptornis otidiformis) is a fascinating bird that once roamed the forests and grasslands of New Zealand’s North Island. Although it has been extinct since the late 19th century, it remains a significant symbol of the island’s …

Jul 29, 2023 · Adzebill T he Aptornithidae (Mantell 1848) is an extinct bird family known only from New Zealand. They have been classified into the North Island adzebill (Aptornis otidiformis, Owen 1844) and the South Island adzebill (Aptornis defossor, Owen 1871).