Category
page 1Prehistoric birds of Australia

Dromornithidae
Dromornithidae, known as mihirungs (after Tjapwuring Mihirung paringmal, "giant bird") and informally as thunder birds or demon ducks, is an extinct family of large, flightless birds native to Australia from at least the late Oligocene (and perhaps as early as the early Eocene) to the Late Pleistocene. They were long classified in Struthioniformes (the ratites), but are now usually classified as a type of gigantic fowl (Galloanserae). Dromornithids were part of the Australian megafauna. One species, Dromornis stirtoni, was tall, making them among the largest birds ever. Only a single species,
Phoeniconotius eyrensis
Phoeniconotius is an extinct genus of flamingo that lived in Australia from the late Oligocene to the early Miocene. Unlike modern flamingos and the contemporary Phoenicopterus novaehollandiae, it was likely less well adapted for swimming and deep water wading. Phoeniconotius was a robust flamingo with bones more massive than those of the modern greater flamingo. Only a single species is recognized, Phoeniconotius eyrensis.