(Adding categories) |
No edit summary |
||
| (18 intermediate revisions by 9 users not shown) | |||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
|range = [[North America]] |
|range = [[North America]] |
||
|time = [[Cretaceous]] <br> 80 to 65mya |
|time = [[Cretaceous]] <br> 80 to 65mya |
||
| − | |appearances = |
+ | |appearances = ''[[Sea Monsters]]'': [[To Hell... and Back?]]}} |
| + | {{Quote|A familiar sight on the coast of the [[Cretaceous]].|''[[Sea Monsters]]'': [[To Hell... and Back?]]}} |
||
| − | '''''Hesperornis''''' was a flightless [[bird]] from the [[Cretaceous]]. Due to its design, it was cumbersome on land but was a fabulous swimmer. |
+ | '''''Hesperornis''''' was a flightless [[Birds|bird]] from the [[Cretaceous]]. Due to its design, it was cumbersome on land but was a fabulous swimmer. |
==Physical appearance and biology== |
==Physical appearance and biology== |
||
''Hesperornis'' was a large, flightless bird. It had small legs and its toes were flat and clawless. Its wings were tiny. |
''Hesperornis'' was a large, flightless bird. It had small legs and its toes were flat and clawless. Its wings were tiny. |
||
| Line 12: | Line 13: | ||
''Hesperornis'' had a long, stalk-like neck. It had a long head and its beak was lined with needle-sharp teeth. |
''Hesperornis'' had a long, stalk-like neck. It had a long head and its beak was lined with needle-sharp teeth. |
||
| − | + | In ''Sea Monsters'', ''Hesperornis ''had black feathers, a red head and legs and a golden beak. |
|
==Behaviour and traits== |
==Behaviour and traits== |
||
| + | |||
''Hesperornis'' was a large flightless seabird. It lived in large colonies that would spend most of their time basking on the sea shore. In these groups, they were extremely vociferous. On the shore, they were at risk of attack by [[dinosaur]]s like ''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]''. |
''Hesperornis'' was a large flightless seabird. It lived in large colonies that would spend most of their time basking on the sea shore. In these groups, they were extremely vociferous. On the shore, they were at risk of attack by [[dinosaur]]s like ''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]''. |
||
| − | Due to |
+ | Due to the fact that its legs were positioned too far down its body, almost along the tail, and its wings were too small to provide counterbalance ''Hesperornis'' couldn't fly and couldn't move efficiently on land or even stand upright, but rather crawled around, like modern loons and grebes do. However, just like the modern loons and grebes, once under water, ''Hesperornis ''was agile and maneuverable. It could accelerate and make sharp turns, perfect for underwater hunting. Unfortunately, during the [[Cretaceous]], the seas were far more dangerous than the land. |
''Hesperornis'' were preyed upon by [[mosasaur]]s, carnivorous [[fish]] like ''[[Xiphactinus]]'' and [[shark]]s. |
''Hesperornis'' were preyed upon by [[mosasaur]]s, carnivorous [[fish]] like ''[[Xiphactinus]]'' and [[shark]]s. |
||
==In ''[[Sea Monsters]]''== |
==In ''[[Sea Monsters]]''== |
||
| + | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | |||
| ⚫ | |||
[[Nigel Marven]] arrived in the centre of a ''Hesperornis'' colony in the Cretaceous. He observed the birds basking on the shore of the sea. He watched as a pair fought and as some of them dived into the water. There, the seabirds chased a shoal of fish. |
[[Nigel Marven]] arrived in the centre of a ''Hesperornis'' colony in the Cretaceous. He observed the birds basking on the shore of the sea. He watched as a pair fought and as some of them dived into the water. There, the seabirds chased a shoal of fish. |
||
| Line 30: | Line 34: | ||
{{Gallery}} |
{{Gallery}} |
||
==Behind the scenes== |
==Behind the scenes== |
||
| + | ''Hesperornis ''also appeared in ''Primeval'' in Episode 1.3.<ref>[http://primeval.wikia.com/wiki/Hesperornis Anomaly Research Centre - Hesperornis]</ref> |
||
===List of appearances=== |
===List of appearances=== |
||
*''[[Sea Monsters]]'' |
*''[[Sea Monsters]]'' |
||
| Line 46: | Line 51: | ||
[[Category:Animals]] |
[[Category:Animals]] |
||
[[Category:Birds]] |
[[Category:Birds]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Carnivorous creatures]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Terrestrial creatures]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Aquatic creatures]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Killers]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Animals from Kansas]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Mesozoic animals]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Vertebrates]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Cretaceous Animals]] |
||
| + | [[Category:Social animals]] |
||
Revision as of 19:20, 7 September 2020
| “ | A familiar sight on the coast of the Cretaceous. | ” |
Hesperornis was a flightless bird from the Cretaceous. Due to its design, it was cumbersome on land but was a fabulous swimmer.
Physical appearance and biology
Hesperornis was a large, flightless bird. It had small legs and its toes were flat and clawless. Its wings were tiny.
Hesperornis had a long, stalk-like neck. It had a long head and its beak was lined with needle-sharp teeth.
In Sea Monsters, Hesperornis had black feathers, a red head and legs and a golden beak.
Behaviour and traits
Hesperornis was a large flightless seabird. It lived in large colonies that would spend most of their time basking on the sea shore. In these groups, they were extremely vociferous. On the shore, they were at risk of attack by dinosaurs like Tyrannosaurus rex.
Due to the fact that its legs were positioned too far down its body, almost along the tail, and its wings were too small to provide counterbalance Hesperornis couldn't fly and couldn't move efficiently on land or even stand upright, but rather crawled around, like modern loons and grebes do. However, just like the modern loons and grebes, once under water, Hesperornis was agile and maneuverable. It could accelerate and make sharp turns, perfect for underwater hunting. Unfortunately, during the Cretaceous, the seas were far more dangerous than the land.
Hesperornis were preyed upon by mosasaurs, carnivorous fish like Xiphactinus and sharks.
In Sea Monsters
To Hell... and Back?
Nigel Marven arrived in the centre of a Hesperornis colony in the Cretaceous. He observed the birds basking on the shore of the sea. He watched as a pair fought and as some of them dived into the water. There, the seabirds chased a shoal of fish.
Nigel, on his speedboat, spotted a blood patch in the water. Using a periscope, we watched as some Hesperornis were attacked and killed by a group of predators including Halisaurus, Xiphactinus and sharks.
Image gallery
- Main article: Hesperornis/Gallery
Behind the scenes
Hesperornis also appeared in Primeval in Episode 1.3.[1]
List of appearances
- Sea Monsters
- 103. To Hell... and Back?
- Sea Monsters: Prehistoric Predators of the Deep
- The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life