Terror Bird vs. Wolves | National Geographic

around five million years ago in what is

around five million years ago in what is now the southeastern United States

now the southeastern United States

now the southeastern United States a mysterious newcomer from South America

a mysterious newcomer from South America

a mysterious newcomer from South America feeds on a primitive horse the terror

feeds on a primitive horse the terror

feeds on a primitive horse the terror bird was the top predator in its

bird was the top predator in its

bird was the top predator in its ancestral home but here in North America

ancestral home but here in North America

ancestral home but here in North America it has competition from creatures it

it has competition from creatures it

it has competition from creatures it never encountered before at the same

never encountered before at the same

never encountered before at the same time that Titanus was here in North

time that Titanus was here in North

time that Titanus was here in North America there was a small wolf like

America there was a small wolf like

America there was a small wolf like animal called the Edwards wolf not as

animal called the Edwards wolf not as

animal called the Edwards wolf not as large gray wolves today but larger than

large gray wolves today but larger than

large gray wolves today but larger than a coyote hunting in a pack the wolves

a coyote hunting in a pack the wolves

a coyote hunting in a pack the wolves are there to steal the terror birds prey

are there to steal the terror birds prey

are there to steal the terror birds prey but this is a challenger they’ve never

but this is a challenger they’ve never

but this is a challenger they’ve never seen they depend on instinct and spread

seen they depend on instinct and spread

seen they depend on instinct and spread out this is a battle for attention who

out this is a battle for attention who

out this is a battle for attention who can divert the attention of the other

can divert the attention of the other

can divert the attention of the other combatant and in which direction for how

combatant and in which direction for how

combatant and in which direction for how long if you’re distracted long enough to

long if you’re distracted long enough to

long if you’re distracted long enough to have to fight one wolf there’s not

have to fight one wolf there’s not

have to fight one wolf there’s not really a chance that you can expend your

really a chance that you can expend your

really a chance that you can expend your energy keep the other wolves at bay

energy keep the other wolves at bay

energy keep the other wolves at bay modern wolves are known for wearing down

modern wolves are known for wearing down

modern wolves are known for wearing down their targets and their prehistoric

their targets and their prehistoric

their targets and their prehistoric cousins were likely the same I think

cousins were likely the same I think

cousins were likely the same I think probably the defining moment is when the

probably the defining moment is when the

probably the defining moment is when the Titanes feels like its life is in danger

Titanes feels like its life is in danger

Titanes feels like its life is in danger once the terror bird gets the idea that

once the terror bird gets the idea that

once the terror bird gets the idea that it’s in a sense outnumbered at a

it’s in a sense outnumbered at a

it’s in a sense outnumbered at a strategic level it’s probably not going

strategic level it’s probably not going

strategic level it’s probably not going to expend this energy over that carcass

to expend this energy over that carcass

to expend this energy over that carcass is probably going to divert its energy

is probably going to divert its energy

is probably going to divert its energy somewhere else

somewhere else

somewhere else the crisis is critical for Titanes as

the crisis is critical for Titanes as

the crisis is critical for Titanes as the Wolves close in its attention turns

the Wolves close in its attention turns

the Wolves close in its attention turns to escape

neither side can sustain the tense

neither side can sustain the tense standoff and one swift exchange will be

standoff and one swift exchange will be

standoff and one swift exchange will be decisive making a willing sacrifice the

decisive making a willing sacrifice the

decisive making a willing sacrifice the wolves prevail

wolves prevail

wolves prevail lesson learned the terror bird withdraws

lesson learned the terror bird withdraws

lesson learned the terror bird withdraws its native intelligence driving it to

its native intelligence driving it to

its native intelligence driving it to change its hunting strategy so I could

change its hunting strategy so I could

change its hunting strategy so I could certainly see a terror bird after its

certainly see a terror bird after its

certainly see a terror bird after its first encounter with the pack of wolves

first encounter with the pack of wolves

first encounter with the pack of wolves possibly realizing that it’s not worth

possibly realizing that it’s not worth

possibly realizing that it’s not worth the fight it’s going to lose in the long

the fight it’s going to lose in the long

the fight it’s going to lose in the long run and eventually start developing

run and eventually start developing

run and eventually start developing avoidance behavior that if it kills

avoidance behavior that if it kills

avoidance behavior that if it kills something the wolves come along it’s

something the wolves come along it’s

something the wolves come along it’s probably going to give it up rather than

probably going to give it up rather than

probably going to give it up rather than risking itself becoming a meal