Gastornis

Gastornis
ディアトリマ
Character Data
AKA		Diatryma
Romaji		Diatorima
Debut		Kemono Friends (2015 Game)
Animal Data
Scientific Name		Gastornis
Distribution		Western-Central Europe
Diet		Herbivore
Avg. Lifespan		Extinct
Read More		Gastornis
Conservation

Gastornis

Festival

Pavilion

KF3

Nexon Game

Stage Play

Gallery

The Gastornis is a type of extinct bird Friend that appears in multiple Kemono Friends media.

Appearance

Gastornis has red hair that fades into a darker tone at the tips - part of it is tied at the front with green pearls, and she has a massive curled bang that's beige in coloration and black at thet ip - that represents the beak of a Gastornis. She also has a headband with an oval orange section at the ends, meant to represent the eyes of a Gastornis. She has yellow irides with no highlights, signifying her animal species is extinct. She has a large red furred collar tied by a ribbon of similar coloration - this ribbon fades into yellow at the tips. Below is a white sleeveless shirt, followed by a brown corset and an armored skirt of the same color with iron buttons. It has a furred end. Her arms and legs have various bandages tied around them, and she wears brown sandals. Like other Friends, she has traits of the animal species she belonged to in her otherwise human body - that includes a large blue and red tail that belongs to the Gastornis animal, and since she is an avian, she has wings of the same color on her head.

Series Appearances

Appearances In Kemono Friends Media

Media		Role

In Real Life

Gastornithidae was a family of large flightless bird species native to what is now Central Europe and the United States roughly 45-60 million years ago. All species were about 2 meter tall, flightless birds, similar to ostriches. It is unknown what kind of feathers they had, it is assumed they were hair-like similar to those of modern ratites, such as the emu or cassowary. Despite the similarities to modern large flightless birds, gastornis is more closely related to small waterfowl such as ducks, geese and swans. Their underdeveloped wings assumedly didn't have much purpose besides being used as a mating display.

For decades since it's initial discovery, gastornis was assumed to be a carnivore due to its large, strong beak. However, the beak did not have a hooked tip which is very common in other meat eating birds as it helps in killing prey and tearing off meat. Gastornis is also lacking sharp, curved talons unlike other birds of prey. Instead, the beak would be used to crush seeds or fruits with hard shells. To prove this theory, scientists have analyzed dietary clues in the birds preserved bones and carbon isotopes and compared it with other herbivores from the same time period and modern birds of prey.

The reasons for gastornis' extinction are unknown but believed to be either increasing competition with mammals or more likely, climate change.

Trivia

• Her Japanese name identifies her as a Diatryma, which is a synonymous name for Gastornis.
• Her binomial name in Kemono Friends Pavilion is Gastornis parisiensis, which is the type species for Gastornis, while Gastornis gigantea is the one that was once classified as Diatryma.
• Her plumage seems to be inspired from the Gastornis from BBC's documentary: 'Walking with Beasts' (2001).

References

Black, R., 2014. Giant Prehistoric Bird Crushed Seeds, Not Little Horses. [online] National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/giant-prehistoric-bird-crushed-seeds-not-little-horses