Bestiary: Ratites

Ratites are flightless birds, but many "non-avian" dinosaurs differ from birds like archeopteryx only in their inability to fly. Ratites are set apart by several superficial similarities. Without long tails, they tend to look more like birds than other dinosaurs. Ratites usually have tiny wings (though one type has powerful clawed arms), long legs, and toothless beaks.

Most Ratites are good runners, although a couple of Ratite groups living on islands without natural enemies are only mediocre athletes. Those flightless birds which have become adapted to sea life rather than life on dry land are not considered to be Ratites (several of these can be found in the sea life section.)

RATITE EXAMPLES     height       mass  

Phorusraschis       300 cm       ???
Diatryma            250 cm       125 kg
Elaphant Bird       300 cm       500 kg
Moa                 350 cm       250 kg
Ostrich       200 - 270 cm  65 - 160 kg
Rhea                130 cm        18 kg
Emu                 180 cm        47 kg
Cassowary           160 cm        30 kg
Moruk               110 cm        10 kg
Kiwi           50 -  70 cm   1 -   3 kg

Template: Ratite                         TotalCP:  5
Length: 2 - 3.4 m    CC    Stride Reach  Agi Abs Pwr
Mass: 80 - 240 kg   10 kg    1 m   1 m   -1   1   1

ABILITIES            Mod
Running               4
Detection             2
Thumbless            -4

LIMBS        Description                         Qty
Other:       legs, beak                           3

NATURAL WEAPONS          Special Agi Rch Pwr Shp Qty
Claws and Beak                   -1   1   1  -2   3