Osteodontornis (SciiFii)

The common bony-toothed bird (Osteodontornis communis) is a species of seabird of the family Pelagornithidae. It originally lived in the Miocene and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced to modern coastlines worldwide to help boost the declining biodiversity. With a wingspan of 5.5 to 6 metres (18 to 20 ft) and a height of 1.2 metres (3.9 ft) when on the ground, the common bony-toothed birds and similar giant pseudotooth birds are the largest flying birds known, surpassed only by the teratorn Argentavis. Like its relatives, it has a stout but extremely light-boned body, feet that are webbed as in its aquatic relatives, and long and very narrow wings resembling those of an albatross. Its beak makes up about three-quarters of the head's length and has bony tooth-like serrations that are hollow. The beak is so heavy the common bony-toothed bird has to hold it between its shoulders while in flight, just like native modern pelicans do. In general lifestyle, it is most similar to the albatrosses, tropicbirds and frigatebirds native to modern times, with long slender wings adapted for soaring vast distances over the open seas. Due to its size, the bird is an excellently adapted dynamic soarer. It builds its nest on high plateaus or similar places, where it can easily take flight by simply walking into the wind with wings spread. It lives mainly off squid and other soft-bodied prey; the "teeth" are less saw-like than the horny serrations on the beak of the fish-eating saw-billed ducks (Merginae), pointing straight downwards instead. The downward-pointing "teeth" are ideal for digging into and holding slippery, soft-skinned pelagic animals such as cephalopods that are snatched out of the water in flight or while swimming. Lightly built as it is, the common bony-toothed bird is not a good diver and found it impossible to dive at all. The conservation status of the common bony-toothed bird is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts and due to people cleaning out plastics from the oceans.
Category:Animals
Category:SciiFii
Category:Birds
Category:Cenozoic Park