One meter high flying chicken once lived in Australia

Scientists discovered a large-sized flying chicken of kangaroo who lived in Australia 2 million years ago.

When studying the Thylacoleo cave fossils in western Australia's Nullarbor plains, scientists at Flinders University concluded that a kangaroo-sized turkey has lived here for about two million years now. before, according to Cnet.

Ancient turkey image Progura gallinacea (right) along with a kangaroo (middle) and modern turkey (left).(Photo: Flinders University).

In an article published in the Royal Society magazine on June 14, the team said the ancient turkey has a scientific name, Progura gallinace a. They are about a meter tall with a large body, weigh about 3-8kg, 4 times the size of domestic chickens.

The fossil turkey of ancient turkey is quite long, suggesting that the animal is capable of flying and sleeping on trees. This is one of the five extinct birds that paleontologists collected fossils in Australia.

All 5 species of extinct birds are related to modern Malleefowl and turkey birds. Among them, there are two megapode birds famous for building mounds to lay eggs.

"This discovery is remarkable, because it tells us more than half of Australia's megapode birds were extinct during the Pleistocene period and we have not realized this until now , " said Elen Shute, a member of the The team, said.