Who Would Win series: Season 7: The Utahraptor vs Terror Bird

Greetings and Welcome to the Season 7 Premiere of my "Who Would Win" Series and it is going to be match up between two Prehistoric Predators. The Utahraptor vs The Terror Bird.

This is going to be quite simple in a sense that Stats are not really needed for this fight. Instead, The following Categories are going to be.

Anatomy

Weapons

Hunting Methods

That's pretty much it. Yeah, nothing too complex :D!!!!

So, with regards to which Terror Bird I will be using since the name is actually a generalized description of a specific species scientifically known as Phorusrhacids I will of course take the biggest of the Terror Birds which is the Kelenken Guillermoi as the definitive species for this blog.

Let's Begin :D!!!!

Utahraptor

From the Early Cretaceous Period, there was a time when the dinosaurs ruled the earth. At this point in Earth's History, the dinosaurs were more diverse than ever before. One of these groups of dinosaurs that ended up being more ferocious are the Raptors.

Raptors, while not as huge as the larger Therapods such as the Tyrannosaurs, Allosaurids and Spinosaurs, still held a tight grip on the food chain. One of these genus of Raptor were the Utahraptors (Part of the Dromaeosaurinae family).

Originating from North America and, well, discovered in "Utah", this Raptor had a tremendous capacity for Hunger and being super cool while hunting their prey.

That's a simple background of The Utahraptor. Let's look at it's capabilities.

Anatomy

The Utahraptor is actually just a beefed up version of the more popular "Velociraptor". That said, the fact that this Raptor is American and not Mongolian makes it different in a sense.... Until you realize, it's size is staggering.

Yep, this Raptor is 7m (23ft) long and is said to be comparable in weight to the Polar Bear, the largest Bears alive today. Which means, it could weigh around 500 kg (1100lb). Though conservative estimates place Utahraptor at around 16-18ft and weighing 300kg. Still, this Raptor was a heavy weight

To be clear, the Raptor's size doesn't matter, so long as it has it's own weapons to hunt, which means.....

Teeth and Claws

Utahraptor had very sharp rows of teeth that were ideal for hunting it's prey. These teeth were backed up by a bite force that can reach over 600psi.

However, aside from it's teeth, it also had its own set of Claws. The Forearms themselves can be used for slashing and even clamping onto it's prey with deadly results. Talk about a Melee weapon!!!!

But, one of it's most iconic features is the Foot Claw.

Better not get "Stomped" XD!!!!

The Foot Claw is perfect for pinning down prey and it is especially deadly when the Raptor can literally kick you with such force, your guts will spill out the moment it's Foot Claw tears through your flesh. That is just scary and gruesome.... Badass!!!!

Hunting Methods

Utahraptor, like most if not all Raptors in general, were pack hunters. They used clever tactics and ambush as their style of hunting.

Even on it's own, the Raptor is still a ferocious beast. As fast hunters, they can chase down any prey with deadly efficiency. Raptors in general can be seen as faster than the larger Therapods, which is another reason why they were still successful despite being outclassed in terms of Power and Size, they simply had the Speed to compensate not only to hunt but to survive also, since Big Therapods can still eat them.

It is generally agreed that Utahraptor may not be as fast as the Velociraptor and Dromaeosaur, though it is still estimated that they can run as fast as their usual prey, which are the Iguanadonts, who run at the same speed as an Ostrich. Since Utahraptor usually catches up and even hunt down Iguanadonts, their speed surpasses them to a T, which means it is as fast as a Hunting Lion :D!!!

Of course, even when prey is killed by another large Therapod, Raptors can still scavenge it for food once the larger predator is finished with it's meal. So really, Raptors are already looking very successful but it gets even better.

You "See", Raptors have very keen vision and they are one of the few dinosaurs that had the advantage in Night Time. Some Raptors such as Troodon were highly successful during Night time, especially when their prey is either sleeping or unable to navigate during night time in the middle of a Jungle. Perfect for ambush and dinner time :D!!!!

Utahraptor would be no exception. Binocular Vision and a Keen sense of Smell make it ideal for hunting prey from long distances. What a classic :D!!!!

Weaknesses

While Utahraptor is not exactly weak physically, it still isn't as large as bigger Therapods. This puts it below the Power and Weight class compared to the heavy weights such as T-Rex.

However, even with that into consideration, Utahraptor's Hunting methods rely on key moments. If the would be prey is able to detect them beforehand, they could outrun or even fight back a Utahraptor, possibly escaping and even kill the Utahraptor in many failed circumstances. Heavier prey such as Iguanodonts and other Duck billed Dinosaurs (Hadrosaurs) require a well co-ordinated pack to hunt but if they fail, those prey would simply escape dinner time.

In terms of overall combat, Utahraptor lacks solid defenses. This is especially risky to them against Ankylosaurs, heavily armored herbivores that may seem slow but posses superior durability and a club-like tail that can literally one shot a Raptor. Definitely not a good idea for the poor Raptor.

Still, despite it's faults, Utahraptor is still a powerful predator and a cunning hunter. What a badass :D!!!

Terror Bird

The Phorusrhacids, better known as Terror Birds were once a dominant predator during the Cenozoic Era (Current Time Period). They lived in numerous parts of the world but mainly South America.

These birds are actually not your typical Bird of Prey. Infact they were at one time, an apex predator. Despite fierce competition against the famous Saber Toothed Cats and Bears, Terror Birds still managed to thrive on until their eventual extinction, exactly 1 Million Years before Humans came into the scene. Though there is some proof that Humans "Did" coexist with a specific type of Terror Bird though it isn't the same as our main two Terror Birds which were.

Kelenken Guillermoi, one of, if not the largest of the Terror Birds

And...

Titanis, the most famous of the Terror Birds.

While Terror Birds are now Extinct, their legacy as fearsome predators is the stuff of legend.

Now, let's look at what this giant Chicken is capable of.

Anatomy

Terror Birds are not exactly complicated to describe. You look at your typical Emu and Ostrich and that is a baseline for their appearance. However, what does set them apart is the fact that Terror Birds have enormous beaks (sometimes Bills, just like a Duck depending on the type) that are capable of producing enough force to crush bone. Yikes!!!

Though to be clear, it's sharp beak is also used for jabbing into prey, which ends up like a Spear type weapon. It also has very long legs for superior sprinting and being able to catch up to fast moving prey like Macrauchenia and even overwhelm early relatives of Horses.

Of course, Terror Birds have, well, Feathers and no, they cannot fly since their wings are too short. It's like trying to fly with two twigs on each arm. Not gonna work XD!!!

Now, let's look at the Terror Bird's size.

Red: Kelenken. Green: Phorusrhacos. Purple: Titanis Yellow: Gastornis

It is important to note that Terror Birds have varing shapes and sizes. For this blog, Kelenken is gonna be the main type for this match up since it is One of the biggest of it's kind. That said, most images as of now will have Titanis displaying it's capabilities but, since both are essentially identical in terms of everything aside from sizes, it pretty much is a bread and butter situation :D!!!!

Funny stuff aside, Kelenken can reach at over 9ft in height and weigh around 100kg. Light weight, but it does pack a punch.

Weaponry

It goes without saying but as mentioned before, Terror Birds have a powerful Beak/Bill. However, the beak alone is quite versatile in that it can be used for both crushing and biting but also be used to jab into prey, delivering piercing results. This is especially useful against Glyptodonts, which are relatives of the modern Armadillo.

A Terror Bird flipping over a Glyptodont for a meal

Speaking of which, Terror Birds also have very powerful legs. Ideal for Sprinting but in the case of combat, they are also used to pin down prey to finish them with a bite. Perfect for a snack.

Hunting Methods

Terror Birds are actually superb hunters. They are also very good at long distance chases because of their long legs. It goes without saying, but they are just as fast, if not faster than the Ostrich, which can run at 70km per hour. That's also factoring Keleken's Speed, which could reach 90km per hour. Quite scary!!!!

Of course, Terror Birds are also ambush hunters. Their tactics are also more about isolating their prey from herds and they also like to bully their would be prey with both numbers and intimidation with their screeches.

Weaknesses

Despite the Terror Bird's Power and Size, it isn't that scary in terms of Weight. As Mentioned Before, 100kgs is actually light compared to other predators, especially Saber Toothed Cats and Bears.

It also goes without saying that Terror Birds lack defenses. Even though they are clever and are known to kill Ancient Armadillo's, the fact that it requires them to flip them over means they are not effective against thick Armor with their beak/bill. They have to first target the underbelly to get into the soft bits.

Still, it goes without saying that Terror Birds are intimidating, ferocious and badass :D!!!

Summary

Utahraptor

Advantages

Bigger, Heavier, Faster
More Effective in terms of Night Hunting and in this case, Superior Combat Skills for Night Time
More Teeth and Claws

Disadvantages

Lacks Defenses against the Terror Bird's Beak/Bill

Terror Bird

Advantages

Beak/Bill can crush The Utahraptor

Disadvantages

Lighter, Slower, Not exactly comparable in terms of Physical capabilities
Night Time is a No No since Raptors are superb for Night Time Hunting and Combat
Less Weaponry

The Verdict

In a rather cool match up that is not exactly close, Utahraptor vs Terror Bird is unique in that it has two Pack Hunters in action. However, this isn't gonna be a long section since Utahraptor literally has all advantages that are necessary to win here.

The Terror Bird is simply outmatched, outclassed and outweighed. The reason is that we are comparing a 7m (23ft) Raptor vs a 9ft Bird. The Size is Staggering but it gets worse. Let's look at the Weight comparison.

Utahraptor: 300-500kg

Terror Bird (Kelenken): 100kg

The difference in weight is astronomical. We have a Raptor that is 3x-5x the weight of it's opponent. Which is a massive advantage in the animal kingdom. Added that Utahraptor has a bite force of 600psi, it is simply capable of crushing bone. So it looks like The Terror Bird is giving the Raptor some Chicken tonight XD!!!

More so, The Utahraptor is actually very clever also. While Terror Birds are not stupid, infact you can make a case that it is just as smart as the Raptor, the one advantage Utahraptor has is that it also is not just a hunter in the day time, but also night time. Terror Birds can also hunt in night, but their vision isn't as effective in night as a Raptor's, which have superior night vision.

So really, Utahraptor simply has all the capabilities to chomp onto the Terror Bird and have free Kentucky Fried Chicken, or Red Rooster...... Hahah!!!!!