Avisaurus (SciiFii)

Avisaurus magnificens is a species of enantiornithine bird that originally lived from the Late Cretaceous of North America as an extinct species, Avisaurus archibaldi, and the genus itself was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii. Avisaurus magnificens was originally planned to be featured in Cretaceous Park located in Sacramento, California, but zoos across North America commissioned SciiFii to keep, care, and breed Avisaurus magnificens, and are now widespread across North America in captivity. Avisaurus magnificens averages 63 centimetres (25 inches) in length and 1.2 kilograms (2.6 pounds) in mass. The plumage of Avisaurus magnificens is mainly dark brown in color with light brown or dark yellow tail bands and bars on its wings, and black wing tips. Avisaurus magnificens has a dark yellow toothy snout and lower legs. The diet of Avisaurus magnificens is highly variable and reflects its status as an opportunistic generalist, but it is most often a predator of small mammals, lizards, frogs, and fish. Opportunistically, Avisaurus magnificens can hunt invertebrates, small birds, and sometimes plant materials such as fruits. Like Buteo hawks, they hunt from a perch most often, but can vary their hunting techniques where prey and habitat demand it. Because they are easily trained as capable hunters, in the United States they are commonly used for falconry. Falconers are permitted to take only passage Avisaurus magnificens (which have left the nest, are on their own, but are less than a year old) so as to not affect the captive breeding population. Adults, which may be breeding or rearing chicks, may not be taken for falconry purposes, and doing so is illegal. Avisaurus magnificens are also preferred by falconers because these younger birds have not yet developed the adult behaviors that would make them more difficult to train.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii