• Dasus@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    I’m not really too optimistic, I’m just depressed and haven’t got much to live for, so I haven’t much to fear.

    That being said, I do think I would lose yeah, but how glorious would it be to win?

    Now to the theory. Do we actually know it was a predator? Modern birds of prey all have either very strong, crooked, beaks and/or talons. These have very long, toothless beaks. Personally, I think it more likely they were a beast that scavenged and used opportunities (much like a seagull), instead of actually hunting prey.

    If that is the case, then they wouldn’t be optimised for fighting. You make a good point in that killing one might be hard because it could so easily get away. Buuut… unlike modern birds, these use all 4 limbs to support themselves while on the ground. If you managed to a nice blow with a baseball bat on it’s forelegs while it’s on the ground? It might not be able to take off again, or even walk around properly.

    Like… even if you dislike/fear birds, how many people arr afraid of being “bitten” by a seagull?

    Literally toothless.

    I’m not sure if there are theories to how this species hunted, but I looked for reference in https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quetzalcoatlus this article about (I presume) a different massive pterosaur.