The Phorusrachids were a family of carnivorous terrestrial birds that came to dominate the open savannahs and grasslands of Cenozoic South America. Possessing large skulls with axe-like beaks, these animals were fast runners that were capable of bludgeoning their prey to death with rapid and forceful strikes. Closely related to modern Seriemas, Phorusrachids may have originated in Eocene Africa or Europe and later spread to South America by crossing the narrow Atlantic Ocean. Some genera stood up to 10 feet tall and were as fast as race horses, presenting a terrifying image to us in modern times. The group thrived in South America between the Late Oligocene and the Middle Miocene, although started to decline after this probably due to a changing climate. A single large genus, Titanis, migrated to North America by about 5 mya and thrived there for a few million years. By the Early Pleistocene however, Titanis had become extinct, possibly due to competition from Canids and big cats.

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