 However, there were also true vultures present in the area at that time, and unlike them, "T. merriami" was also well adapted to hunt for smaller animals which are also known to have utilized the pools.Analysis of the skull and bill shapes suggests that fish may have constituted a major part of its diet.Taking into account the strong legs, stout claws, and a gripping power not quite as developed as in eagles, it is rather likely that Merriam's Teratorn would have hunted for aquatic prey in the manner of an osprey, which also provides a neat explanation of how such large numbers of powerful, well-flying birds could have become stuck in the asphalt.