The world has seen many great species come and go over the years. However, it looks as though one has been able to make a comeback after all this time. This giant extinct parrot has just been discovered in New Zealand after going under the radar for so many years.

This Giant Extinct Parrot Has Just Been Discovered In New Zealand

Finding The Evidence

Researchers in New Zealand recently uncovered fossils that show Heracles inexpectatus once roamed across the country. This was unlike any other parrot they had ever seen. In fact, the remains showed that this is the tallest known parrot to have ever walked the Earth.

Special Features

This parrot weighs a whopping 15 pounds - around the same as a bowling ball, but that’s not all. The bird also had a large beak that means it could break through almost anything it came across. The remains show the bird would have lived around 19 million years ago.

parrot — This Giant Extinct Parrot Has Just Been Discovered In New Zealand

Plenty Of Differences

Although the remains were of a giant parrot, the species was very different from the bird we know today. The parrots would have walked along the forest floor looking for food and didn’t fly. However, its break meant that not a lot could stand in this incredible bird’s way.

Not The First

It turns out this giant parrot isn’t the first oversized bird to live in New Zealand. The country was once home to a penguin that stood taller than a human, and nine different species of moa. The largest of these birds would have once measured in at a staggering 12 feet tall.

New Zealand is home to all kinds of hidden wonders, and it seems as though it’s the country that just keeps on giving. Although they have been gone for millions of years, this giant extinct parrot helps envision the journey the species has been through throughout time.