Dromornis

Dromornis
Temporal range: Late Oligocene–Pliocene
Cast of Dromornis stirtoni from Australia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Superorder: Galloanserae
Family: Dromornithidae
Genus: Dromornis
Owen, 1872
Type species
Dromornis australis
Owen, 1872
Species
  • D. australis Owen, 1872
  • D. murrayi Worthy et al., 2016
  • D. planei Rich, 1979
  • D. stirtoni Rich, 1979
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.