The humble Australian white ibis, notoriously referred to as the bin chicken, has helped scientists gain insight into how the fearsome Tyrannosaurus rex may have walked.

Key points: A study led by Queensland Museum's Peter Bishop saw researchers observe 12 birds, including the ibis

A study led by Queensland Museum's Peter Bishop saw researchers observe 12 birds, including the ibis They monitored the birds to get an idea of how dinosaurs may have moved

They monitored the birds to get an idea of how dinosaurs may have moved Birds evolved from theropods, which included the well-known Tyrannosaurus rex

In research published by a team led by the Queensland Museum's Peter Bishop, scientists observed how birds, including the ibis, ran and walked to discover how dinosaurs may have done the same.

It is not a huge surprise given birds evolved from theropods, which include dinosaurs such as the Tyrannosaurus rex.

The T-Rex is one of the world's best known dinosaurs, and has long captivated people given its starring role in fictional films such as Jurassic Park.

The much maligned "bin chicken" was studied walking on a sectioned-off running track. ( 612 ABC Brisbane: Jessica Hinchliffe )

In contrast, the ibis is a much-maligned native bird given it is frequently seen scrounging around bins or brazenly stealing food from tables at the restaurants, parks, shopping centres and picnic areas where they gather.

Walk like a bird

Scientists predicted a T-rex weighing eight tonnes and with a leg length of 3.1m would have had a stride length of more than four metres if moving at 18 kilometres per hour. ( Reuters )

While researchers have previously proven that dinosaurs would have walked like modern birds, this is the first time they have been able to develop a model which accurately predicted forces of bird movement which they extrapolated for dinosaurs.

Using walled-off running tracks, the researchers recorded the birds' movements with high-speed cameras and specially built force plates.

The ibis was one of 12 birds monitored during the study, which featured birds weighing between 45 grams and 80 kilograms and also included the Australian brush turkey, domestic turkey, three different types of quail, and large birds the emu and the ostrich.

The researchers were able to develop an equation they called the BIRDS (biomechanically informative, regression-derived statistical) model, which only needs a bird's body mass and speed to predict their stride length and force exerted per step.

Using the model, the scientists predicted a Tyrannosaurus rex weighing eight tonnes and with a leg length of 3.1m would have had a stride length of more than four metres if moving at 18 kilometres per hour.

The Australian brush turkey was also among the studied birds. ( ABC News: Giulio Saggin - file photo )

The researchers hold reservations about whether the model can be used as a predictor for animals with a very large body mass, and were hoping to analyse more birds to improve the model.

They hoped to use dinosaur fossils and footprints to help predict the movement features of non-bird dinosaurs.