Sylviornis
Neocaledoniae skull fragment and shin of Sylviornis
Sylviornis neocaledoniae ( kanakisch: You ) was a large, flightless bird, who is close to the knobbed ( Megapodiidae ). He lived, as well as another type of Megapodes, New Caledonia and the nearby Isle of Pines, at least until about 3000 years ago when the first people settled there. His remains were found in the deposits of human settlements.
Sylviornis neocaledoniae was first held for a ratites until a more complete collection of bone suggesting that it was a Großfußhuhn. However, this has also been questioned, as it differs significantly from other knobbed .. Meanwhile Sylviornis list as a separate family Sylviornithidae.
He was about 1.2 to 1.6 meters tall and weighed about 40 kilograms.
It is believed that Sylviornis built more than 400 10 to 50 meters wide and 50 to 80 centimeters high mound of earth, which are known as " tumuli " in New Caledonia, in order to hatch her eggs. The material was collected in the immediate vicinity, and consists of small stones and earth, and some kind of cement.