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Hesperornis

Hesperornis

1 9.9
A large extinct sea bird with teeth that could not fly
  • proper noun
  • Specialized
: Hesperornis
  • Scientists believe Hesperornis hunted fish in ancient Cretaceous seas.

Examples

  • Did you know that Hesperornis could swim very well?

  • The fossil of a Hesperornis was discovered in North America.

  • The fossilized bones of Hesperornis reveal it was well adapted to swimming.

  • Hesperornis had sharp teeth, unlike most modern birds.

  • The Hesperornis was a large, flightless bird that thrived in aquatic environments during the Cretaceous period.

  • Fossils of the Hesperornis provide insight into the evolution of flightless birds.

  • Scientists studied the Hesperornis to understand how these ancient birds adapted to their environment.

Surface Forms

Etymology

Hesperornis comes from Greek parts hesper- meaning 'western' and -ornis meaning 'bird'. So the name is like 'western bird', a helpful way to remember it was a long-ago, flightless sea bird known from fossils in western areas.