This is Birdnumpt.

Giant owls once walked the earth.

As recently as 10,000 years ago, these owls, now extinct, were among the largest of all

known owls, standing three and a half feet tall and weighing 20 pounds.

They thrived among the top predators on the island of Cuba, but the wings of the Cuban

giant owl, were surprisingly small.

They may have powered the bird up to low perches, but scientists think it hunted primarily

on foot.

Running on long, powerful legs, equipped with large talons, the bird ambushed or chased

down its prey.

The owls appear to have evolved their remarkable size and ground-dwelling habits, at a time

when Cuba had no large carnivorous mammals to compete with.

Real little is known about why they died out.

Fossils of similar owls, with long legs and small wings, have been unearthed in places

as disparate as Hawaii and Georgia, pointing to large terrestrial owls as a widespread,

successful adaptation.

But from any angle, the Cuban giant owl was a behemoth among owls.

An example of evolution pushed to the extreme.

For Bird Note, I'm Michael Stein.