Re: [dinosaur] *Heracles inexpectatus*, giant parrot from the Miocene of NZ

An interesting analogy might be with the giant fossil Nukupu'u Hemignathus vorpalis, which also had a proportionately larger beak than its smaller, recently extinct relative (https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.google.ca_amp_s_www.researchgate.net_publication_282721647-5FA-5Fgiant-5Fnew-5Fspecies-5Fof-5Fnukupuu-5FFringillidae-5FDrepanidini-5FHemignathus-5Ffrom-5Fthe-5FIsland-5Fof-5FHawaii_amp&d=DwICaQ&c=clK7kQUTWtAVEOVIgvi0NU5BOUHhpN0H8p7CSfnc_gI&r=Ry_mO4IFaUmGof_Yl9MyZgecRCKHn5g4z1CYJgFW9SI&m=rYdSe7rCWeCTyYEHexT2IpY6sBaH-nMmQcu4XToj_Cc&s=a1pXXxaizvn7OsSAHCHZL3Jm3ncsBOHzD5eYGN_kdB4&e= ).

Ronald Orenstein 1825 Shady Creek Court Mississauga, ON L5L 3W2 Canada ronorenstein.blogspot.com
On Aug 8, 2019, 4:12 PM +0800, Tim Williams <[email protected]>, wrote:
> Ronald Orenstein <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I note your point about Strigopids, but I still think something more like a supersized version of a Kea or Kaka beak, perhaps with a massive hook that could be used in digging, would be more likely. Again, the trend to larger bills with increased
> > size is widespread in parrots; you can see it within genera such as Psittacula and Tanygnathus.
>
> You may well be correct! Personally, I think _Heracles_ as a
> big-headed, big-beaked dodo analog would be the most interesting
> outcome. :-)
>
>
> > We need more fossils!
>
> Definitely - and especially true of the St Bathans Fauna. As well as
> more material of _Heracles_ (such as a skull and wings), more of
> _Proapteryx_ would be handy (to determine if it was volant), as well
> as more of the unnamed St Bathans non-therian mammal. Just for
> starters.... :-)