| Dromornis Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| |
| Cast of Dromornis stirtoni from Australia | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Superorder: | Galloanserae |
| Family: | †Dromornithidae |
| Genus: | †Dromornis Owen, 1872 |
| Type species | |
| Dromornis australis Owen, 1872
| |
| Species | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Bullockornis Rich, 1979 | |
Dromornis is a genus of large to enormous prehistoric birds native to Australia during the Oligocene to Pliocene epochs. The species were flightless, possessing greatly reduced wing structures but with large legs, similar to the modern ostrich or emu. They were likely to have been predominantly, if not exclusively, herbivorous browsers. The male of the largest species, Dromornis stirtoni, is a contender for the tallest and heaviest bird, and possibly exhibited aggressive territorial behaviour. They belong to the family Dromornithidae, extinct flightless birds known as mihirungs.