Fossil reveals giant terror bird killed by massive caiman in Colombia 12 million years ago

A fossilized leg bone of the largest known "terror bird" was identified in Colombia, revealing it was killed by a massive caiman nearly 12 million years ago. This discovery, published on November 4, highlights the bird's size and predatory role in a tropical environment. The leg bone suggests the bird was 5% to 20% larger than previous specimens, possibly weighing around 340 pounds and standing over 9 feet tall. Researchers used 3D scanning to find deep puncture wounds from the caiman, indicating the bird's cause of death. This find enhances understanding of the La Venta area's ecology during the Miocene epoch, where the terror bird coexisted with various large species. The fossil, initially misidentified nearly 20 years ago, underscores the potential for more undiscovered terror bird fossils in existing collections.