The puny digit II of seriemas might offer insight, into the origins of the hypertrophied 'raptor claw' and lifestyle, it can scarcely suffice as a parallel, for the hypertrophy of the claw.

More interesting to me is the way seriemas and roadrunners, slam whole vertebrate items on the floor, to kill them and facilitate swallowing them whole. Do preserved gut contents, indicate any Mesozoic coelurosaurs did this?

#dromaeosaurids #seriemas #cariamids #anatomy #foot #carnivory #evolution

Over the weekend I learned about the two species of #seriemas. I knew about the long legged African secretary #birds - birds of prey that kick and slash their prey to death - but these #raptors (yep, they're raptors!!) have evolved the same terrestrial hunting behaviour over in South America. Look at that sickle claw! #ConvergentEvolution #dinosaurs

(📸Otávio Nogueira, Matt Edmonds)

Over the weekend I learned about the two species of #seriemas. I knew about the long legged African secretary #birds - birds of prey that kick and slash their prey to death - but these #raptors (yep, they're raptors!!) have evolved the same terrestrial hunting behaviour over in South America. Look at that sickle claw! #ConvergentEvolution

(📸Otávio Nogueira, Matt Edmonds)