Teratornis (SciiFii)

The common teratorn (Teratornis merriami) is a huge North American bird of prey – the best-known of the teratorns, that originally lived during the Pleistocene and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced to the forests, open woodlands, and grasslands to help boost biodiversity. The common teratorn has a wingspan of around 3.5 to 3.8 m (11 to 12 ft) and a wing area of 17.5 square meters, standing around 75 cm (30 in) tall. It is somewhat larger than the Andean condor and weighing about 15 kg (33 lb), and nearly double the weight of an average Californian condor. Its bill is larger than those of vultures or condors and is more like those of eagles, allowing the common teratorn to be an active predator. Prey up to the size of a small rabbit is swallowed more or less whole, while carrion it feeds on is in a manner similar to that of condors or vultures, although it only occasionally scavenge on dead animals as it is not specialized on feeding on carrion. Despite this, it is also specialized in feeding on bones, similarly to the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) of Africa. Unlike vultures, it is well adapted to hunt for fish in ponds and lakes. The conservation status of the common teratorn is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the common teratorn's wide natural range, and its tolerance to most of human activities, allowing it to adapt and flourish in cities and suburbs.