Phorusrhacos

The Phorusrhacos was a prehistoric creature which appeared in the 1961 fantasy-adventure film Mysterious Island, based on the novel by noted author Jules Verne.

Description
A flightless predatory bird standing nearly ten feet tall, the Phorusrhacos was a vicious creature with powerful legs and a curved, razor-sharp beak.

History
After a group of Unionist soldiers attempted to escape a Confederate prison camp by hot air balloon during the 1860s, they found themselves at the mercy of the prevailing winds and were stranded upon an uncharted island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean, where they encountered the survivors of a shipwrecked vessel, and the two groups banded together for survival.

Making the most of their situation, the group built a camp complete with a pen for the local wild goats, but were attacked by a rampaging Phorusrhacos. Luckily for the men, they were able to kill the beast, which they later cooked and enjoyed for supper.

Trivia

 * The Phorusrhacos used for the movie was animated by stop-motion legend Ray Harryhausen.