Ancient ‘demon ducks’ may have been undone by their slow growth

Giant flightless birds called mihirungs were the biggest birds to ever stride across what is now Australia. The animals, which weighed up to hundreds of kilograms, died out about 40,000 years ago. Now researchers might have a better idea why.

The birds may have grown and reproduced too slowly to withstand pressures from humans’ arrival on the continent, researchers report August 17 in the Anatomical Record. 

Mihirungs are sometimes called “demon ducks” because of their great size and close evolutionary relationship with present-day waterfowl and game birds. The…