Bullockornis

For a couple of weeks I have had a Post-It Note with the word "Bullockornis" written on it, waiting for my attention. A co-worker had used the word in out internal chat system, and I answered "?". He said Google it. So today I did...

This image from Dinopedia is a contradiction... as this
presumably ferocious giant bird looks almost cute

Bullockornis planei, nicknamed the demon-duck of doom or thunderduck, is an extinct flightless bird that lived in the Middle Miocene, approximately 15 million years ago, in what is now Australia.

Bullockornis stood approximately 2.5 metres (8 ft 2 in) tall, and weighed up to 250 kg (550 lb). The size of Bullockornis' skull (larger than a small horse), and its very large beak, once led to speculation that the bird may have been carnivorous. Most currently agree that it was a herbivore, related to geese and ducks. This, in addition to the bird's tremendous size and earlier misclassification as a carnivore, gave rise to its colourful nickname.

Although the name actually means‭ '‬ox bird‭'‬,‭ ‬Bullockornis is better known in popular culture as the‭ '‬Demon duck of doom‭'‬.‭.. Although Bullockornis was without doubt a large bird,‭ ‬it was not named for being the size of an ox but instead for being discovered in Bullock Creek... [continue reading on Prehistoric Wildlife]

Bullockornis ("Bullock Bird") - Australia: The Land Where Time Began
Bullockornis ("Ox Bird") - Prehistoric Wildlife