List of Late Quaternary prehistoric bird species
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Late Quaternary prehistoric birds are
avian Avian may refer to: *Birds or Aves, winged animals *Avian (given name) (russian: Авиа́н, link=no), a male forename Aviation *Avro Avian, a series of light aircraft made by Avro in the 1920s and 1930s *Avian Limited, a hang glider manufacture ...
taxa In biology, a taxon (back-formation from ''taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular nam ...
that became
extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
during the Late
Quaternary The Quaternary ( ) is the current and most recent of the three periods of the Cenozoic Era in the geologic time scale of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS). It follows the Neogene Period and spans from 2.58 million years ...
 – the
Holocene The Holocene ( ) is the current geological epoch. It began approximately 11,650 cal years Before Present (), after the Last Glacial Period, which concluded with the Holocene glacial retreat. The Holocene and the preceding Pleistocene togethe ...
or
Late Pleistocene The Late Pleistocene is an unofficial Age (geology), age in the international geologic timescale in chronostratigraphy, also known as Upper Pleistocene from a Stratigraphy, stratigraphic perspective. It is intended to be the fourth division of ...
 – and before recorded
history History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the History of writing#Inventions of writing, invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbr ...
, or more precisely, before they could be studied alive by ornithological science. They became extinct before the period of global scientific exploration that started in the late 15th century. In other words, this list basically deals with extinctions between 40,000 BC and 1500 AD. For the purposes of this article, a "
bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...
" is any member of the
clade A clade (), also known as a monophyletic group or natural group, is a group of organisms that are monophyletic – that is, composed of a common ancestor and all its lineal descendants – on a phylogenetic tree. Rather than the English term, ...
Neornithes Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...
, that is, any descendant of the
most recent common ancestor In biology and genetic genealogy, the most recent common ancestor (MRCA), also known as the last common ancestor (LCA) or concestor, of a set of organisms is the most recent individual from which all the organisms of the set are descended. The ...
of all currently living birds. The birds are known from their remains, which are
subfossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved in ...
(not fossilized, or not completely fossilized). Some are also known from
folk memory Folk memory, also known as folklore or myths, refers to past events that have been passed orally from generation to generation. The events described by the memories may date back hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of years and often hav ...
, as in the case of
Haast's eagle Haast's eagle (''Hieraaetus moorei'') is an extinct species of eagle that once lived in the South Island of New Zealand, commonly accepted to be the pouakai of Māori legend.New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
. As the remains are not completely fossilized, they may yield organic material for molecular analyses to provide additional clues for resolving their
taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...
affiliations. The extinction of the taxa in this list was coincident with the expansion of ''
Homo sapiens Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, culture, ...
'' beyond Africa and Eurasia, and in most cases, anthropogenic factors have played a crucial part in their extinction, be it through hunting, introduced
predator Predation is a biological interaction where one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey. It is one of a family of common feeding behaviours that includes parasitism and micropredation (which usually do not kill th ...
s or
habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
alteration. It is notable that a large proportion of the species are from oceanic islands, especially in
Polynesia Polynesia () "many" and νῆσος () "island"), to, Polinisia; mi, Porinihia; haw, Polenekia; fj, Polinisia; sm, Polenisia; rar, Porinetia; ty, Pōrīnetia; tvl, Polenisia; tkl, Polenihia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, made up of ...
. Bird taxa that evolved on oceanic islands are usually very vulnerable to hunting or predation by rats, cats, dogs or pigs – animals commonly introduced by humans – as they evolved in the absence of
mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
ian predators, and therefore have only rudimentary predator avoidance behavior. Many, especially
rails Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters *Rail (rail transport) or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film * ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini * ''Rail'' ( ...
, have additionally become
flightless Flightless birds are birds that through evolution lost the ability to fly. There are over 60 extant species, including the well known ratites (ostriches, emu, cassowaries, rheas, and kiwi) and penguins. The smallest flightless bird is the ...
for the same reason and thus presented even easier prey. Taxon extinctions taking place before the Late Quaternary happened in the absence of significant human interference. Rather, reasons for extinction are stochastic abiotic events such as
bolide A bolide is normally taken to mean an exceptionally bright meteor, but the term is subject to more than one definition, according to context. It may refer to any large crater-forming body, or to one that explodes in the atmosphere. It can be a ...
impacts,
climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to E ...
s, mass volcanic eruptions etc. Alternatively, species may have gone extinct due to
evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...
ary displacement by successor or competitor taxa – it is notable for example that in the early
Neogene The Neogene ( ), informally Upper Tertiary or Late Tertiary, is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period million years ago ( Mya) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period Mya. ...
, seabird
biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...
was much higher than today; this is probably due to competition by the radiation of
marine mammal Marine mammals are aquatic mammals that rely on the ocean and other marine ecosystems for their existence. They include animals such as seals, whales, manatees, sea otters and polar bears. They are an informal group, unified only by their reli ...
s after that time. The relationships of these ancient birds are often hard to determine, as many are known only from very fragmentary remains and complete fossilization precludes analysis of information from DNA,
RNA Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polymeric molecule essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes. RNA and deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) are nucleic acids. Along with lipids, proteins, and carbohydra ...
or protein sequencing. Extinct bird species differed from extant birds by being larger, mostly restricted to islands, and often flightless. These factors made them especially vulnerable to human prosecution and to other anthropogenically related declines.


Taxonomic list of Late Quaternary prehistoric birds

All of these are
Neornithes Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...
.


Struthioniformes

The
ostrich Ostriches are large flightless birds of the genus ''Struthio'' in the order Struthioniformes, part of the infra-class Palaeognathae, a diverse group of flightless birds also known as ratites that includes the emus, rheas, and kiwis. There are ...
and related
ratite A ratite () is any of a diverse group of flightless, large, long-necked, and long-legged birds of the infraclass Palaeognathae. Kiwi, the exception, are much smaller and shorter-legged and are the only nocturnal extant ratites. The systematics ...
s. * † Aepyornithidae Bonaparte 1853 – elephant birds ** †''
Mullerornis ''Mullerornis'' is a genus of extinct elephant birds (Aepyornithidae) of Madagascar. Description ''Mullerornis'' is smaller than the more well-known '' Aepyornis''. A bone possibly belonging to ''Mullerornis'' has been radiocarbon dated to abo ...
'' Milne-Edwards & Grandidier 1894 *** †'' M. modestus (Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, 1869) Hansford & Turvey 2018'' ** †''
Aepyornis ''Aepyornis'' is a genus of aepyornithid, one of three genera of ratite birds endemic to Madagascar until their extinction sometime around 1000 CE. The species ''A. maximus'' weighed up to , and until recently was regarded as the largest known ...
'' St. Hilaire 1850 *** †'' A. maximus'' St. Hilaire 1851 'Aepyornis modestus'' Milne-Edwards & Grandidier 1869; ''Aepyornis ingens">Aepyornis_modestus.html" ;"title="'Aepyornis modestus">'Aepyornis modestus'' Milne-Edwards & Grandidier 1869; ''Aepyornis ingens'' Milne-Edwards & Grandidier 1894; ''Aepyornis titan'' Andrews 1894; ''Mullerornis titan'' (Andrews 1894); ''Diornis maximus'' (St. Hilaire 1851)] (Giant Elephant-Bird) *** †''Aepyornis hildebrandti, A. hildebrandti'' Burckhardt 1893 ['' Aepyornis mulleri'' Milne-Edwards & Grandidier 1894; '' Mullerornis hildebrandti'' (Burckhardt 1893); '' Aepyornis minimus''] (Hildebrandt's Elephant-Bird) ** †''
Vorombe ''Vorombe'' is one of three genera of elephant birds, an extinct family of large ratite birds endemic to Madagascar. Originally considered to be large ''Aepyornis'' specimens, it is now thought ''Vorombe'' are the largest and heaviest birds kno ...
'' Hansford & Turvey 2018 *** †''
Vorombe titan ''Vorombe'' is one of three genera of elephant birds, an extinct family of large ratite birds endemic to Madagascar. Originally considered to be large ''Aepyornis'' specimens, it is now thought ''Vorombe'' are the largest and heaviest birds k ...
'' Andrews 1894 'Aepyornis titan'' Andrews 1894; ''Aepyornis ingens">Aepyornis_titan.html" ;"title="'Aepyornis titan">'Aepyornis titan'' Andrews 1894; ''Aepyornis ingens'' Milne-Edwards and Grandidier 1894] ** * †Emeidae – moa ** ''Anomalopteryx'' *** Bush moa, ''Anomalopteryx didiformis'' (North & South Islands, New Zealand) ** ''Euryapteryx'' *** North Island broad-billed moa, ''Euryapteryx curtus'' (North Island, New Zealand) *** Stout-legged moa, ''Euryapteryx geranoides'' (South Island, New Zealand) (syn.''Euryapteryx curtus'') ** ''
Pachyornis ''Pachyornis'' is an extinct genus of ratites from New Zealand which belonged to the moa family. Like all ratites it was a member of the Order (biology), order Struthioniformes. The Struthioniformes are flightless birds with a sternum without a k ...
'' *** Crested moa, ''Pachyornis australis'' (western South Island, New Zealand) ***
Heavy-footed moa The heavy-footed moa (''Pachyornis elephantopus'') is a species of moa from the lesser moa family. The heavy-footed moa was widespread only in the South Island of New Zealand, and its habitat was the lowlands (shrublands, dunelands, grasslands, ...
, ''Pachyornis elephantopus'' (eastern South Island, New Zealand) *** Mappin's moa, ''Pachyornis mappini'' (North Island, New Zealand) (syn.''Pachyornis geranoides'') ** '' Emeus'' ***
Eastern moa The eastern moa (''Emeus crassus'') is an extinct species of moa. When the first specimens were originally described by Richard Owen, they were placed within the genus ''Dinornis'' as three different species, but, was later split off into their ...
, ''Emeus crassus'' (South Island, New Zealand) * †
Dinornithidae The giant moa (''Dinornis'') is an extinct genus of birds belonging to the moa family. As with other moa, it was a member of the order Dinornithiformes. It was endemic to New Zealand. Two species of ''Dinornis'' are considered valid, the North I ...
– moa ** ''
Dinornis The giant moa (''Dinornis'') is an extinct genus of birds belonging to the moa family. As with other moa, it was a member of the order Dinornithiformes. It was endemic to New Zealand. Two species of ''Dinornis'' are considered valid, the North I ...
'' ***
North Island giant moa The North Island giant moa (''Dinornis novaezealandiae'') is an extinct moa in the genus ''Dinornis''. Even though it might have walked with a lowered posture, standing upright, it would have been the tallest bird ever to exist, with a height ...
, ''Dinornis novaezealandiae'' (North Island, New Zealand) ***
South Island giant moa The South Island giant moa (''Dinornis robustus'') is an extinct moa from the genus ''Dinornis.'' Context The moa were Ratite, ratites, flightless birds with a sternum without a Keel (bird anatomy), keel. They also had a distinctive palate. T ...
, ''Dinornis robustus'' (South Island, New Zealand) * † Megalapterygidae – moa ** ''Megalapteryx'' ***
Megalapteryx The upland moa (''Megalapteryx didinus'') was a species of moa endemic to New Zealand. It was a ratite, a grouping of flightless birds with no keel on the sternum. It was the last moa species to become extinct, vanishing in 1445 CE, and was pr ...
, ''Megalapteryx didinus'' (South Island, New Zealand) – may have survived until historic times (syn.''Megalapteryx benhami'') *
Struthionidae Struthionidae (; ) is a family of flightless birds, containing the extant ostriches and their extinct relatives. The two extant species of ostrich are the common ostrich and Somali ostrich, both in the genus ''Struthio'', which also contains seve ...
– ostriches ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Asian ostrich The Asian or Asiatic ostrich (''Struthio asiaticus''), is an extinct species of ostrich that lived during the Neogene period on the Indian subcontinent. The early records that ranged from the Pliocene epoch in Africa to Pleistocene-Holocene epoc ...
, ''Struthio asiaticus'' (Central Asia to China) *
Apterygidae Kiwi ( ) are flightless birds endemic to New Zealand of the order Apterygiformes. The five extant species fall into the family Apterygidae () and genus ''Apteryx'' (). Approximately the size of a domestic chicken, kiwi are by far the smallest ...
– kiwi ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Eastern tokoeka, ''Apteryx'' sp. (South Island, New Zealand) – possibly the same as the Ōkārito, Haast or South Island tokoeka.


Dromornithidae

An extinct clade of massive galloansere birds. * †
Dromornithidae Dromornithidae, known as mihirungs and informally as thunder birds or demon ducks, were a clade of large, flightless Australian birds of the Oligocene through Pleistocene Epochs. All are now extinct. They were long classified in Struthioniform ...
– The Australian ''mihirung''s or "demon ducks" ** †''Genyornis'' *** ''
Genyornis newtoni ''Genyornis newtoni'', also known as thunder bird and mihirung paringmal (meaning "giant bird"), is an extinct species of large, flightless bird that lived in Australia during the Pleistocene epoch until around 50,000 years ago. Over two met ...
'' (Australia)


Anseriformes

The group that includes modern
duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...
s and
geese A goose (plural, : geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family (biology), family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera ''Anser (bird), Anser'' (the grey geese and white geese) and ''Branta'' (the black geese). Some o ...
. *
Anatidae The Anatidae are the biological family of water birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica. These birds are adapted for swimming, floating ...
– ducks, geese and swans ** †''
Cnemiornis The New Zealand goose is the common name given to the extinct genus ''Cnemiornis'' of the family Anatidae, subfamily Anserinae. The genus, endemic to New Zealand, consisted of two species: the North Island goose, ''C. gracilis'' and the ...
'' *** South Island goose, ''Cnemiornis calcitrans'' (South Island, New Zealand) *** North Island goose, ''Cnemiornis gracilis'' (North Island, New Zealand) ** †''Centrornis'' ***
Malagasy sheldgoose The Malagasy sheldgoose (''Centrornis majori'') is an extinct monotypic species of large goose in the shelduck subfamily. It was described from subfossil remains radiocarbon dated to about 17,000 years ago, found in central Madagascar Ma ...
, ''Centrornis majori'' (Madagascar) (syn.''Alopochen'') ** †''Chelychelynechen'' ***
Turtle-jawed moa-nalo The turtle-jawed moa-nalo (''Chelychelynechen quassus''), also formerly referred to as the large Kauai goose, is a species of moa-nalo, one of a group of extinct, flightless, large goose-like ducks, which evolved in the Hawaiian Islands of the N ...
, ''Chelychelynechen quassus'' (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands) ** †''Ptaiochen'' ***
Small-billed moa-nalo The small-billed moa-nalo (''Ptaiochen pau''), also known as the stumbling moa-nalo, is a species of moa-nalo, one of a group of extinct, flightless, large goose-like ducks, which evolved in the Hawaiian Islands of the North Pacific Ocean. It was ...
, ''Ptaiochen pau'' (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) ** †''Thambetochen'' ***
Maui Nui large-billed moa-nalo The Maui Nui large-billed moa-nalo (''Thambetochen chauliodous''), also known as the Maui Nui moa-nalo, is one of two species of moa-nalo in the genus ''Thambetochen''. Moa-nalo are a group of extinct, flightless, large goose-like ducks, which ev ...
, ''Thambetochen chauliodous'' (Maui and Moloka‘i, Hawaiian Islands) ***
O'ahu large-billed moa-nalo Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O’ ...
, ''Thambetochen xanion'' (Oahu, Hawaiian Islands) ** †''Chendytes'' *** ''
Chendytes lawi ''Chendytes lawi'' is an extinct, goose-sized flightless marine duck, once common on the California coast, the California Channel Islands, and possibly southern Oregon. It lived in the Pleistocene and survived into the Holocene. It appears to ha ...
'' (California and Southern Oregon Coasts and Channel Islands, E Pacific) ** †'' Talpanas'' ***
Kaua'i mole duck ''Talpanas lippa'', the Kauaʻi mole duck,Julian Pender Hume, Michael Walters: ''Extinct Birds''. A & C Black, London 2012. ., p 57 is an extinction, extinct species of duck. It was first described by Andrew N. Iwaniuk, Storrs L. Olson, and He ...
, ''Talpanas lippa'' (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands) ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Aitutaki whistling-duck, ''Dendrocygna'' sp. (Aitutaki, Cook Islands) ***
Nēnē-nui The nēnē-nui ( Hawaiian: "great nēnē") or wood-walking goose (translation of ''Branta hylobadistes'') is an extinct species of goose that once inhabited Maui and possibly (or closely related species) Kauai, Oahu and perhaps Molokai in the H ...
, ''Branta hylobadistes'' (Maui, possibly Kauai and Oahu, Hawaiian Islands) *** '' Branta rhuax'' (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands) (formerly in monotypic genus ''Geochen'') Synonym: giant Hawai'i goose, Branta sp. (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands) *** Chatham Islands shelduck, ''Tadorna'' cf. ''variegata'' (Chatham Islands, SW Pacific) ***
Malagasy shelduck The Malagasy shelduck (''Alopochen sirabensis''), also known as the Sirabe shelduck, is an extinct species of waterfowl in the shelduck subfamily, described from Late Pleistocene fossils found at Antsirabe in central Madagascar. It is related to ...
, ''Alopochen sirabensis'' (Madagascar) ***
Scarlett's duck Scarlett's duck (''Malacorhynchus scarletti'') is an extinct duck species from New Zealand which was closely related to the Australian pink-eared duck (''Malacorhynchus membranaceus''). The scientific name commemorates the late New Zealand ornith ...
, ''Malacorhynchus scarletti'' (New Zealand) ***
Finsch's duck Finsch's duck (''Chenonetta finschi'') was a large terrestrial species of duck formerly endemic to New Zealand. The species was possibly once the most common duck in New Zealand, a supposition based on the frequency of its fossils in bone deposit ...
, ''Chenonetta finschi'' (New Zealand; possibly survived to 1870) *** Bermuda flightless duck, ''Anas pachyscelus'' (Bermuda, W Atlantic) *** Macquarie Islands teal, ''Anas'' cf. ''chlorotis'' (Macquarie Islands, SW Pacific) ***
Chatham Island duck ''Anas chathamica'', the Chatham duck or Chatham Islands duck, is an extinction, extinct species of duck, formerly placed in a monotypic taxon, monotypic genus ''Pachyanas'', which once lived in New Zealand's Chatham Islands in the south-west P ...
, ''Anas chathamica'' (Chatham Islands, SW Pacific) *** ''
Anser djuktaiensis ''Anser djuktaiensis'' or the Dyuktai goose is an extinct goose, similar to but larger than the extant greylag goose, the remains of which have been found in the Dyuktai Cave near the Dyuktai River in Yakutia, Russia. The cave is dated from Uppe ...
'' (Yakutia, Russia) *** Chatham Island merganser, ''Mergus milleneri'' (Chatham Islands, SW Pacific) ***
New Zealand stiff-tailed duck The New Zealand stiff-tailed duck (''Oxyura vantetsi'') is an extinct duck species from New Zealand which is known only from subfossil remains. It was first described as a distinct species by Trevor H. Worthy in 2005. The New Zealand stiff-tai ...
, ''Oxyura vantetsi'' (North Island, New Zealand) ***
New Zealand musk duck The New Zealand musk duck (''Biziura delautouri''), also known as de Lautour's duck, is an extinct stiff-tailed duck native to New Zealand. It is only known from subfossil bones. Its closest relative was the living Australian musk duck ''Biziura ...
, ''Biziura delautouri'' (New Zealand) *** Chatham Islands swan, ''Cygnus chathamicus'' (Chatham Islands) *** ''
Cygnus falconeri ''Cygnus falconeri'', the giant swan, ( Maltese: ) is an extinct, very large swan known from Middle Pleistocene-aged deposits from Malta and Sicily. Its dimensions are described as exceeding those of the living mute swan by one-third, which woul ...
'' (Malta, Sicily) *** '' Cygnus equitum'' (Malta, Sicily), occasionally placed into the genus Anser *** New Zealand swan, ''Cygnus sumnerensis'' (New Zealand) ***''Anser aff. erythropus'' (Ibiza) ***''
Neochen barbadiana ''Neochen barbadiana'' is an extinct species of goose from the Late Pleistocene of Barbados. The species was described by American paleontologist Pierce Brodkorb from fossils found in Ragged Point, Saint Philip.Brodkorb, P. (1965) Fossil birds ...
'' (Barbados) ***Extinct subspecies of extant species **** Chatham Islands teal, ''Anas chlorotis'' ssp. nov. (Chatham Islands, SW Pacific) ** Placement unresolved *** Giant O'ahu goose, Anatidae sp. et gen. indet. (Oahu, Hawaiian Islands) *** Long-legged shelduck", Anatidae sp. et gen. indet. (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands) *** Rota flightless duck, Anatidae sp. et gen. indet. (Rota, Marianas)


Pangalliformes Pangalliformes is the scientific name of a provisional clade of birds within the group Galloanserae. It is defined as all birds more closely related to chickens than to ducks, and includes all modern chickens, turkeys, pheasants, and megapodes, ...

The group that includes modern
chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...
s and
quail Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally placed in the order Galliformes. The collective noun for a group of quail is a flock, covey, or bevy. Old World quail are placed in the family Phasianidae, and New Wor ...
s. * †
Sylviornithidae Sylviornithidae is an extinct family of flightless birds, known from subfossil bones found in Holocene aged deposits on the Melanesian islands of New Caledonia and Fiji. Traditionally assumed to be within Galliformes, recent phylogenetic studies ...
– The Sylviornis or New Caledonian giant megapode ** †''Megavitiornis'' ***
Noble megapode ''Megavitiornis altirostris'' is an extinct, flightless, giant stem-galliform bird that was endemic to Fiji, it is the only known species in the genus ''Megavitornis''. Originally thought to be a megapode, more recent morphological studies indica ...
or deep-billed megapode, ''Megavitiornis altirostris'' (
Viti Levu Viti Levu (pronounced ) is the largest island in the Republic of Fiji. It is the site of the nation's capital, Suva, and home to a large majority of Fiji's population. Geology Fiji lies in a tectonically complex area between the Australian P ...
,
Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
) ** †''Sylviornis'' ***
Sylviornis ''Sylviornis'', also known by its native name of Du, is an extinct genus of large, flightless bird that was endemic to the islands of New Caledonia in the Western Pacific. It is considered to constitute one of two genera in the extinct family ...
, ''Sylviornis neocaledoniae'' (
New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
,
Melanesia Melanesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It extends from Indonesia's New Guinea in the west to Fiji in the east, and includes the Arafura Sea. The region includes the four independent countries of Fiji, Va ...
) True
Galliformes Galliformes is an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding birds that includes turkeys, chickens, quail, and other landfowl. Gallinaceous birds, as they are called, are important in their ecosystems as seed dispersers and predators, and are often ...
*
Megapodidae The megapodes, also known as incubator birds or mound-builders, are stocky, medium-large, chicken-like birds with small heads and large feet in the family Megapodiidae. Their name literally means "large foot" and is a reference to the heavy legs ...
– megapodes ** †''Mwalau'' *** '' Mwalau walterlinii'' (
Efate Efate (french: Éfaté) is an island in the Pacific Ocean which is part of the Shefa Province in Vanuatu. It is also known as Île Vate. Geography It is the most populous (approx. 66,000) island in Vanuatu. Efate's land area of makes it Vanua ...
,
Vanuatu Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (french: link=no, République de Vanuatu; bi, Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of no ...
) ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Consumed scrubfowl The consumed scrubfowl (''Megapodius alimentum'') is an extinct megapode that was native to Fiji and Tonga in the south-west Pacific Ocean. It was originally described from subfossil remains collected by David Steadman from an archaeological si ...
, ''Megapodius alimentum'' (
Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its total surface area is about , scattered over in ...
and Fiji) *** Lost megapode or Viti Levu scrubfowl, ''Megapodius amissus'' (Viti Levu and possibly
Kadavu Kadavu may refer to: * Kadavu Island, the fourth largest island in Fiji * Kadavu Group, an archipelago in Fiji including Kadavu Island * Kadavu Province, a province of Fiji including Kadavu Group * Kadavu Airport or Vunisea Airport, an airport on K ...
and
Aiwa is a consumer electronics brand owned and used by various companies in different regions of the world. American and other regions are owned by Chicago-based Aiwa Corporation. Towada Audio based in Tokyo owns the rights to the brand in Japa ...
, Fiji) – may have survived to the early 19th or the 20th century. ***
Pile-builder megapode The pile-builder megapode (''Megapodius molistructor'') is an extinct species of megapode. The subfossil remains were found by Jean-Christophe Balouet and Storrs L. Olson in the Pindai Caves of New Caledonia. Its remains have also been foun ...
, ''Megapodus molistructor'' (New Caledonia, Tonga and possibly Aiwa, Fiji) *** ' Eua scrubfowl or small-footed megapode, ''Megapodius'' sp. (
ʻEua Eua is an island in the kingdom of Tonga. It is close to Tongatapu, but forms a separate administrative division. It has an area of , and a population in 2021 of 4,903 people. Geography Eua is a hilly island, the highest peaks are the ''Teemo ...
, Tonga) *** Lifuka scrubfowl, ''Megapodius'' sp. (
Lifuka Lifuka is an island in the Kingdom of Tonga. It is located within the Ha'apai Group, Haapai Group in the centre of the country, to northeast of the national capital of Nukuʻalofa, Nukualofa. It is the administrative centre of the Haapai group of ...
, Tonga) *** Stout Tongan megapode ''Megapodius'' sp. (
Tongatapu Tongatapu is the main island of Tonga and the site of its capital, Nukualofa. It is located in Tonga's southern island group, to which it gives its name, and is the country's most populous island, with 74,611 residents (2016), 70.5% of the nation ...
, Tonga) *** ''Megapodius'' sp. ( Ofu,
Samoa Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...
) *** Large Solomon Islands megapode ''Megapodius'' sp. (
Buka Island Buka Island is the second-largest island in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, in eastern Papua New Guinea. It is in Buka Rural LLG of North Bougainville District, with the Autonomous Region's and district's capital city of Buka, Bougain ...
,
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capita ...
) *** New Caledonia megapode ''Megapodius'' sp. ( Grande Tierre,
New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
) ***
Loyalty megapode Loyalty, in general use, is a Fixation (psychology), devotion and faithfulness to a nation, cause, philosophy, country, group, or person. Philosophers disagree on what can be an object of loyalty, as some argue that loyalty is strictly interpers ...
''Megapodius'' sp. (
Lifou Lifou is a communes of France, commune of France in the Loyalty Islands Province of New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean. Geography Lifou is made up of Lifou Island, the largest and most heavily populated of the Loyalty Islands, its smaller neig ...
and Maré,
Loyalty Islands The Loyalty Islands Province ( French ''Province des îles Loyauté'') is one of three administrative subdivisions of New Caledonia encompassing the Loyalty Island (french: Îles Loyauté) archipelago in the Pacific, which are located northeast of ...
) *** New Ireland scrubfowl or large Bismarck's megapode, ''Megapodius'' sp. ( New Ireland, Melanesia) *** '' Leipoa gallinacea'' (''Progura gallinacea'' and ''Progura naracoortensis'' are synonyms) (
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
) *
Phasianidae The Phasianidae are a family (biology), family of heavy, ground-living birds, which includes pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, chickens, Turkey bird, turkeys, Old World quail, and peafowl. The family includes many of the most popular Game (hunti ...
– pheasants and allies ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Canary Islands quail The Canary Islands quail (''Coturnix gomerae'') is an extinct quail species that once occurred on the islands of El Hierro, La Palma, Tenerife and Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain). Extinction This quail was most likely still present in th ...
, ''Coturnix gomerae'' (
Canary Islands The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
,
East Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
) *** Porto Santo quail (''Coturnix alabrevis'') (
Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
, East Atlantic) *** Cape Verde quail (''Coturnix centensis'') (Cape Verde, East Atlantic) *** Madeiran quail (''Coturnix lignorum'') (Madeira, East Atlantic) ***
Californian turkey The Californian turkey (''Meleagris californica'') is an extinct species of turkey indigenous to the Pleistocene and Early Holocene of California. It has been estimated that the Californian turkey went extinct about 10,000 years ago. Fossil ev ...
, ''Meleagris californica'' (California,
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
)


Charadriiformes

Gull Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and only distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century, m ...
s,
auk An auk or alcid is a bird of the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. The alcid family includes the murres, guillemots, auklets, puffins, and murrelets. The word "auk" is derived from Icelandic ''álka'', from Old Norse ''alka'' (a ...
s,
shorebirds 245px, A flock of Dunlins and Red knots">Red_knot.html" ;"title="Dunlins and Red knot">Dunlins and Red knots Waders or shorebirds are birds of the order Charadriiformes commonly found wikt:wade#Etymology 1, wading along shorelines and mudflat ...
*
Laridae Laridae is a family of seabirds in the order Charadriiformes that includes the gulls, terns, skimmers and kittiwakes. It includes around 100 species arranged into 22 genera. They are an adaptable group of mostly aerial birds found worldwide. T ...
– gulls ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Huahine gull The Huahine gull (''Chroicocephalus utunui''), also known as the Society Islands gull, is an extinct bird, a species of gull of which subfossil bones were found at the Fa'ahia archeological site on Huahine, in the Society Islands of French Polyne ...
or Society Islands gull, ''Chroicocephalus utunui'' (
Huahine Huahine is an island located among the Society Islands, in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It is part of the Leeward Islands group ''(Îles sous le Vent).'' At the 2017 census it had a population of 6,075. ...
,
Society Islands The Society Islands (french: Îles de la Société, officially ''Archipel de la Société;'' ty, Tōtaiete mā) are an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean. Politically, they are part of French Polynesia, an overseas country of the F ...
) *** Kaua'i gull, ''Larus'' sp. (
Kaua'i Kauai, () anglicized as Kauai ( ), is geologically the second-oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands (after Niʻihau). With an area of 562.3 square miles (1,456.4 km2), it is the fourth-largest of these islands and the 21st largest island ...
,
Hawaiian Islands The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...
) *** ''Larus'' sp. (
Saint Helena Saint Helena () is a British overseas territory located in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is a remote volcanic tropical island west of the coast of south-western Africa, and east of Rio de Janeiro in South America. It is one of three constitu ...
, Atlantic) – may be extant form *
Charadriidae The bird family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings, about 64 to 68 species in all. Taxonomy The family Charadriidae was introduced (as Charadriadæ) by the English zoologist William Elford Leach in a guide to the conten ...
– lapwings and plovers ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Malagasy lapwing, ''Vanellus madagascariensis'' (Madagascar) *
Alcidae An auk or alcid is a bird of the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. The alcid family includes the murres, guillemots, auklets, puffins, and murrelets. The word "auk" is derived from Icelandic ''álka'', from Old Norse ''alka'' (a ...
– auks ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Dow's puffin Dow's puffin (''Fratercula dowi'') is an extinct seabird in the auk family described in 2000 from subfossil remains found in the Channel Islands of California. It was approximately as large as the modern horned puffin and its beak appared to hav ...
, ''Fratercula dowi'' (Channel Islands, E Pacific) *
Scolopacidae Sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. ...
– waders and snipes **Extinct species of extant genera *** Henderson Island sandpiper, ''Prosobonia'' sp. ( Henderson Island, S Pacific) *** Mangaian sandpiper, ''Prosobonia'' sp. (
Mangaia Mangaia (traditionally known as A'ua'u Enua, which means ''terraced'') is the most southerly of the Cook Islands and the second largest, after Rarotonga. It is a roughly circular island, with an area of , from Rarotonga. Originally heavily popula ...
,
Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...
) *** Ua Huka sandpiper, ''Prosobonia'' sp. (
Ua Huka Ua Huka is one of the Marquesas Islands, in French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. It is situated in the northern group of the archipelago, approximately to the east of Nuku Hiva, at . Name Ua Huka is sometimes ...
,
Marquesas Islands The Marquesas Islands (; french: Îles Marquises or ' or '; Marquesan: ' ( North Marquesan) and ' ( South Marquesan), both meaning "the land of men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in th ...
) *** Forbes' snipe, ''Coenocorypha chathamensis'' (
Chatham Islands The Chatham Islands ( ) (Moriori: ''Rēkohu'', 'Misty Sun'; mi, Wharekauri) are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about east of New Zealand's South Island. They are administered as part of New Zealand. The archipelago consists of about te ...
, Southwest Pacific) ***
Viti Levu snipe The Viti Levu snipe (''Coenocorypha miratropica'') is an extinct species of austral snipe endemic to Fiji. A species of the mostly New Zealand genus ''Coenocorypha The austral snipes, also known as the New Zealand snipes or tutukiwi, are a g ...
, ''Coenocorypha miratropica'' (Viti Levu, Fiji) *** New Caledonia snipe, ''Coenocorypha neocaledonica'' (New Caledonia, Melanesia) *** Norfolk Island snipe, ''Coenocorypha'' sp. (
Norfolk Island Norfolk Island (, ; Norfuk: ''Norf'k Ailen'') is an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head and about from Lord Howe Island. Together with ...
, Southwest Pacific) *** ''
Gallinago kakuki ''Gallinago kakuki'' is a prehistoric species of Gallinago, snipe in the family Sandpiper, Scolopacidae that was once endemic to the West Indies. Fossils of this species are known from the Bahamas, Cuba, and Cayman Brac in the Cayman Islands. '' ...
'' (
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
,
Cayman Brac Cayman Brac is an island that is part of the Cayman Islands. It lies in the Caribbean Sea about north-east of Grand Cayman and east of Little Cayman. It is about long, with an average width of . Its terrain is the most prominent of the thre ...
,
Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...
,
Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...
, West Indies) *** ''
Scolopax anthonyi ''Scolopax anthonyi'' is a prehistoric species of woodcock in the family Scolopacidae that was once endemic to the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Taxonomy Its fossil remains were initially identified as belonging to a snipe of the genus ' ...
'' (Puerto Rico, West Indies) *** ''
Scolopax brachycarpa ''Scolopax brachycarpa'', is an extinct species of woodcock in the family Scolopacidae that was endemic to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Taxonomy It belonged to an insular radiation of woodcocks that may have once existed throughout the G ...
'' (Hispaniola, West Indies) – may have survived into historic times


Gruiformes

The group that includes modern
rails Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters *Rail (rail transport) or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film * ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini * ''Rail'' ( ...
and cranes. *
Rallidae The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small- to medium-sized, ground-living birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules. Many species are associated with wetlands, althoug ...
– rails ** †''Capellirallus'' (syn.''Gallirallus'') *** Snipe-rail, ''Capellirallus karamu'' (
North Island, New Zealand The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-largest ...
) ** †''Vitirallus'' (syn.''Gallirallus'') ***
Viti Levu rail ''Vitirallus watlingi'', the Fiji rail or Viti Levu rail, was a prehistoric flightless bird from Fiji, and is the only species in the genus ''Vitirallus''. ''Vitirallus watlingi'' is thought to have been about the same size as the bar-winged rail ...
, ''Vitirallus watlingi'' (Viti Levu,
Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
) ** †''Hovacrex'' (syn.''Gallinula'') *** Hova gallinule, ''Hovacrex roberti'' (
Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
) ** †'' Nesotrochis'' *** Antillean cave-rail, ''Nesotrochis debooyi'' (
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
and Virgin Islands, West Indies) – may have survived until historic times *** Haitian cave-rail, ''Nesotrochis steganinos'' (Haiti, West Indies) *** Cuban cave-rail, ''Nesotrochis picapicensis'' (Cuba, West Indies) ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
New Caledonian swamphen The New Caledonian gallinule (''Porphyrio kukwiedei'') was a species of bird in the family Rallidae. It was endemic to New Caledonia and probably became extinct due to hunting, habitat loss and the presence of invasive species following human set ...
, ''Porphyrio kukwiedei'' (
New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
, Melanesia) – may have survived into historic times ***
North Island takahē The North Island takahē ( mi, moho) (''Porphyrio mantelli'') is an extinct rail that was found in the North Island of New Zealand. This flightless species is known from subfossils from a number of archeological sites and from one possible 189 ...
, ''Porphyrio mantelli'' (North Island, New Zealand) ***
Huahine swamphen The Huahine swamphen (''Porphyrio mcnabi'') was a species of bird in the family Rallidae. It was a small swamphen endemic to Huahine in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. It is known only from subfossil remains found at the Fa'ahia archaeo ...
, ''Porphyrio mcnabi'' (Huahine, Society Islands) ***
Marquesas swamphen Marquesas swamphen (''Porphyrio paepae'') is a presumably extinct species of swamphen from the Marquesas Islands Hiva Oa and Tahuata. It was originally described from 600-year-old subfossil remains from Tahuata and Hiva Oa. It may have survived ...
, ''Porphyrio paepae'' (Hiva Oa and Tahuata, Marquesas) – may have survived to the late 19th century *** Buka swamphen, ''Porphyrio'' sp. (Buka, Solomon Islands) *** Giant swamphen, ''Porphyrio'' sp. (New Ireland, Melanesia) *** Mangaia swamphen, ''Porphyrio'' sp. (Mangaia,
Cook Islands ) , image_map = Cook Islands on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , capital = Avarua , coordinates = , largest_city = Avarua , official_languages = , lan ...
) (not to genus ''Pareudiastes'') ***
New Ireland swamphen New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
, ''Porphyrio'' sp. (New Ireland, Melanesia) *** Norfolk Island swamphen, ''Porphyrio'' sp. (Norfolk Island, Southwest Pacific) *** Rota swamphen, ''Porphyrio'' sp. (Rota, Marianas) ***''
Fulica montanei Fulica may refer to * ''Fulica'' (genus), waterbirds commonly known as coots *''Fulica chloropus'' and ''Fulica fusca'', related waterbirds commonly known as common moorhens *''Heliornis fulica'', an unrelated species commonly known as the sungrebe ...
'' (Chile) ***
Ibiza rail The Ibiza rail (''Rallus eivissensis'') is a recently discovered fossil species of rail, described from a Late Pleistocene to Holocene cave deposit at Es Pouàs, on the island of Ibiza. Ibiza is in the Pityuses group of the Spanish Balearic I ...
, ''Rallus eivissensis'' (Ibiza, Mediterranean) ***
Madeira rail ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
, ''Rallus lowei'' (Madeira, Macaronesia) *** Porto Santo rail, ''Rallus adolfocaesaris'' (Porto Santo Island, Macaronesia) *** ''Rallus'' sp. (known from subfossil remains found on Madeira and Porto Santo Island). *** São Miguel rail, ''Rallus carvaoensis'' (São Miguel Island, Azores) *** Pico rail, ''Rallus montivagorum'' (Pico Island, Azores) ***
São Jorge rail SAO or Sao may refer to: Places * Sao civilisation, in Middle Africa from 6th century BC to 16th century AD * Sao, a town in Boussé Department, Burkina Faso * Saco Transportation Center (station code SAO), a train station in Saco, Maine, U. ...
, ''Rallus nanus'' (erroneously previously described as ''Rallus minutus'' which is a junior homonym) (São Jorge Island, Azores) *** Graciosa rail, ''Rallus sp.'' (Graciosa, Azores) *** Terceira rail, ''Rallus sp.'' (Terceira, Azores) *** Santa Maria rail, ''Rallus sp.'' (Santa Maria Island, Azores) *** Lifuka rail, ''Gallirallus'' sp. (Lifuka, Tonga) ***
Nuku Hiva rail The Nuku Hiva rail (''Gallirallus epulare'') is an extinct species of flightless bird in the Rallidae, or rail family. History The rail was described in 2007 from subfossil bones collected in 1994-1995 by archaeologists B. V. Rolett, E. Conte ...
, ''Gallirallus epulare'' (Nuku Hiva,
Marquesas The Marquesas Islands (; french: Îles Marquises or ' or '; Marquesan: ' ( North Marquesan) and ' ( South Marquesan), both meaning "the land of men") are a group of volcanic islands in French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of France in t ...
) *** Ua Huka rail, ''Gallirallus gracilitibia'' (Ua Huka, Marquesas) ***
Niue rail The Niue rail (''Gallirallus huiatua'') is an extinct species of flightless bird in the Rallidae, or rail family. History The rail was described in 2000 from subfossil bones collected in January 1995 by paleozoologist Trevor Worthy at the Anaku ...
, ''Gallirallus huiatua'' (Niue, Cook Islands) ***
Mangaia rail The Mangaia rail (''Gallirallus ripleyi'') is an extinction, extinct species of flightless bird in the rail family (biology), family, Rallidae. History The rail was described in 1986 from subfossil bones of late Holocene age found in caves o ...
, ''Gallirallus ripleyi'' (Mangaia, Cook Islands) *** Tahuata rail, ''Gallirallus roletti'' (Tahuata, Marquesas) ***
Huahine rail The Huahine rail (''Gallirallus storrsolsoni'') was a species of bird in the family Rallidae. It was a medium-sized ''Gallirallus'' rail endemic to Huahine in the Society Islands of French Polynesia. It is known only from subfossil remains found ...
, ''Gallirallus storrsolsoni'' (Huahine, Society Islands) *** Hiva Oa rail, ''Gallirallus'' sp. (Marquesas, Pacific) *** ' Eua rail, ''Gallirallus vekamatolu'' ('Eua, Tonga) *** Rota rail, ''Gallirallus temptatus'' (Rota, Marianas, West Pacific) *** Aguiguan rail, ''Gallirallus pisonii'' (Aguiguan, Marianas, West Pacific) *** Tinian rail, ''Gallirallus pendiculentus'' (Tinian, Marianas, West Pacific) *** Saipan rail, ''Gallirallus'' sp. (Saipan, Marianas, West Pacific) *** New Ireland rail, ''Gallirallus ernstmayri'' (New Ireland, Melanesia) *** Norfolk Island rail, ''Gallirallus'' sp. (Norfolk Island, Southwest Pacific) – may have survived to the 19th century *** Great O‘ahu crake, ''Porzana ralphorum'' (Oahu, Hawaiian Islands) ***
Great Maui crake The great Maui rail or great Maui crake (''Porzana severnsi'') is an extinct bird species from Maui, one of two flightless rails which survived on Maui until people arrived in 150 C.E. It was the larger of two species of rail found on the islan ...
, ''Porzana severnsi'' (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) ***
Mangaia crake The Mangaia crake (''Porzana rua'') is an extinct species of flightless bird in the rail family, Rallidae. History The crake was described in 1986 from subfossil bones of late Holocene age found in caves on the island of Mangaia, in the souther ...
, ''Porzana rua'' (Mangaia, Cook Islands) ***
Liliput crake LiLiPUT, initially known as Kleenex, were a Swiss punk rock band formed in Zürich in 1978. The band experienced numerous line-up changes throughout their existence, with bassist Klaudia Schiff being the only constant member of the band over th ...
, ''Porzana menehune'' (Moloka'i, Hawaiian Islands) *** Small Oahu crake, ''Porzana ziegleri'' (Oahu, Hawaiian Islands) *** Small Maui crake, ''Porzana keplerorum'' (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) *** Easter Island crake, ''Porzana'' sp. (Easter Island, Southeast Pacific) *** Great Big Island crake, ''Porzana'' sp. (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands) *** Great Kaua‘i crake, ''Porzana'' sp. (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands) *** Huahine crake, ''Porzana'' sp. (Huahine, Society Islands) ***
Mangaia crake The Mangaia crake (''Porzana rua'') is an extinct species of flightless bird in the rail family, Rallidae. History The crake was described in 1986 from subfossil bones of late Holocene age found in caves on the island of Mangaia, in the souther ...
#2, ''Porzana'' sp. (Mangaia, Cook Islands) *** Marquesas crake, ''Porzana'' sp. (Ua Huka, Marquesas) *** Mariana crake, ''Porzana'' sp. (Marianas, West Pacific) – possibly 4 species *** Medium Kaua'i crake, ''Porzana'' sp. (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands) *** Medium Maui crake, ''Porzana'' sp. (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) *** Small Big Island crake, ''Porzana'' sp. (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands) ***
Hodgen's waterhen Hodgens' waterhen (''Tribonyx hodgenorum'') is an extinct rail species from New Zealand. Its name commemorates the Hodgen brothers who were owners of the Pyramid Valley swamp where the holotype was discovered. It reached a weight of 280 g and it ...
, ''Gallinula hodgenorum'' (New Zealand) *** Viti Levu gallinule, ?''Gallinula'' sp. (Viti Levu, Fiji) – would also be separated in ''Pareudiastes'' if that genus is considered valid, or may be new genus. ***
Chatham Island coot The Chatham coot (''Fulica chathamensis''), also known as the Chatham Island coot, is an extinct bird in the rail family, Rallidae, that was endemic to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand. It was described from subfossil bones in 1892 by Scottish ...
, ''Fulica chathamensis'' (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific) *** New Zealand coot, ''Fulica prisca'' (New Zealand) *** Vava'u rail, ''Hypotaenidia vavauensis'' (Vava'u, Tonga) ** Placement unresolved ***
Barbados rail The Barbados rail is a fossil rail species endemic to Barbados with an undetermined taxonomic status.Storrs Olson: A new species of Nesotrochis from Hispaniola, with notes on other fossil rails from the West Indies (Aves: Rallidae) In: Proceeding ...
, Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. (
Barbados Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...
, West Indies) – formerly ''Fulica podagrica'' (''partim'') *** Easter Island rail, Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. (
Easter Island Easter Island ( rap, Rapa Nui; es, Isla de Pascua) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is most famous for its nearl ...
) *** Fernando de Noronha rail, Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. (Fernando de Noronha, Atlantic) – probably survived to historic times * Gruidae – cranes ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Cuban flightless crane, ''Antigone cubensis'' (Cuba, West Indies) * † Aptornithidae – Adzebills (probably belongs in distinct order) **'' Aptornis'' *** North Island adzebill, ''Aptornis otidiformis'' (North Island, New Zealand) *** South Island adzebill, ''Aptornis defossor'' (South Island, New Zealand)


Eurypygiformes

*
Rhynochetidae ''Rhynochetos'' is a genus of ground-dwelling birds in the monotypic family Rhynochetidae. It contains two species, both endemic to New Caledonia, one of which is extinct. Taxonomy ''Rhynochetos jubatus'' is the only extant species of this gen ...
– kagus ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Lowland kagu The lowland kagu (''Rhynochetos orarius'') is a large, extinct species of kagu. It was endemic to the island of New Caledonia in Melanesia in the south-west Pacific region. It was described from subfossil bones found at the Pindai Caves paleon ...
, ''Rhynochetos orarius'' (New Caledonia, Melanesia)


Ciconiiformes

* Ciconiidae – storks ** Extinct species of extant genera *** ''
Leptoptilos robustus ''Leptoptilos robustus'' (from reek: thin, slender+ reek: soft featherand atin: strong is an extinct species of large-bodied stork belonging to the genus ''Leptoptilos'' that lived on the island of Flores in Indonesia during the Pleistocene ...
'' (Flores, Indonesia) *** ''
Ciconia maltha ''Ciconia maltha'', also known as the asphalt stork or La Brea stork, is an extinct stork from the Late Pliocene – Late Pleistocene of United States (California, Oregon, Idaho and Florida), Cuba and Bolivia. It has been found in the La Brea Tar ...
'' (western and southern US) *** '' Mycteria wetmorei'' (Cuba)


Pelecaniformes

*
Ardeidae The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...
– herons ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Bennu heron The Bennu heron (''Ardea bennuides'') is an extinct, very large heron from what is now the United Arab Emirates at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. Background Found in 1977, remains of the heron have been dated to 2700–1800 BCE, co ...
, ''Ardea bennuides'' (United Arab Emirates) *** ' Eua night heron, ''Nycticorax'' sp. ('Eua, Tonga) *** Lifuka night heron, ''Nycticorax'' sp. (Lifuka, Tonga) – may be same as ‘Eua species ***
Niue night heron The Niue night heron (''Nycticorax kalavikai'') is an extinct night heron species that was endemism, endemic to the island of Niue in West Polynesia. History The night heron was described in 2000 from subfossil bones collected in January 1995 b ...
, ''Nycticorax kalavikai'' (Niue) *** Mangaia night heron, ''Nycticorax'' sp. (Mangaia, Cook Islands) ** Placement unresolved *** Ardeidae gen. et sp. indet. (Easter Island, E Pacific) *
Threskiornithidae The family Threskiornithidae includes 36 species of large wading birds. The family has been traditionally classified into two subfamilies, the ibises and the spoonbills; however recent genetic studies have cast doubt on this arrangement, and hav ...
– ibises ** †''
Apteribis ''Apteribis'' is an extinct genus of flightless birds in the ibis subfamily that was endemic to the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Distribution The remains of the small ibises in the genus have only been found on the islands of Maui, La ...
'' ***
Maui flightless ibis ''Apteribis'' is an extinct genus of flightless birds in the ibis subfamily that was endemic to the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Distribution The remains of the small ibises in the genus have only been found on the islands of Maui, Lan ...
, ''Apteribis brevis'' (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) *** Moloka'i flightless ibis, ''Apteribis glenos'' (Moloka'i, Hawaiian Islands) *** Maui lowland apteribis, ''Apteribis'' sp. (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) ** †''Xenicibis'' *** Jamaican flightless ibis, ''Xenicibis xympithecus'' (Jamaica, West Indies)


Cathartiformes

* †
Teratornithidae Teratornithidae is an extinct family of very large birds of prey that lived in North and South America from the Late Oligocene to the Late Pleistocene. They include some of the largest known flying birds. Taxonomy Teratornithidae are related t ...
– teratorns ** †''
Teratornis ''Teratornis'' (Greek: "wonder" (teretos), "bird" (ornis)) was a genus of huge North American birds of prey – the best-known of the teratorns - of which, two species are known to have existed: ''Teratornis merriami'' and ''Teratornis woodburnen ...
'' *** Merriam's teratorn, ''Teratornis merriami'' (southwest and south US) ** †''
Oscaravis ''Oscaravis olsoni'' (also known as the Cuban teratorn), of the teratorn family, was a large, predatory bird that roamed the territory that is now modern-day Cuba before going extinct at the end of the Pleistocene era. Previously classified as ''T ...
'' *** Cuban teratorn, ''Oscaravis olsoni'' (Cuba) *
Cathartidae The New World vulture or condor family, Cathartidae, contains seven extant species in five genera. It includes five extant vultures and two extant condors found in warm and temperate areas of the Americas. The "New World" vultures were widespread ...
– New World vultures ** †'' Pampagyps'' *** †'' Pampagyps imperator'' (Argentina) ** †''
Wingegyps ''Wingegyps'' is an extinct genus of tiny condor from the Late Pleistocene of South America. The type species ''W. cartellei'' was described from cave deposits in the states of Bahia and Minas Gerais, Brazil. It was close related to the genera '' ...
'' *** †'' Wingegyps cartellei'' (Brazil) ** †''
Pleistovultur ''Pleistovultur'' is an extinct genus of large New World vulture from the Late Pleistocene or Early Holocene of South America. The type species ''P. nevesi'' was described based in a complete and well preserved right tibiotarsus from the Cuvier ...
'' *** †'' Pleistovultur nevesi'' (Brazil) ** †'' Geronogyps'' *** †'' Geronogyps reliquus'' (Peru and Argentina) ** †''
Breagyps ''Breagyps'' is an extinct genus of New World vulture in the family Cathartidae The New World vulture or condor family, Cathartidae, contains seven extant species in five genera. It includes five extant vultures and two extant condors found in ...
'' *** †''
Breagyps clarki ''Breagyps'' is an extinct genus of New World vulture in the family Cathartidae The New World vulture or condor family, Cathartidae, contains seven extant species in five genera. It includes five extant vultures and two extant condors found in ...
'' (southwest US) ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Pleistocene black vulture, ''Coragyps occidentalis'' (southwest and west US) ** Placement unresolved *** ?''Cathartes'' sp. (Cuba, West Indies) *** Cuban condor, ''Gymnogyps varonai'' (Cuba)


Suliformes

The group that includes modern
boobies A booby is a seabird in the genus ''Sula'', part of the family Sulidae. Boobies are closely related to the gannets (''Morus''), which were formerly included in ''Sula''. Systematics and evolution The genus ''Sula'' was introduced by the Frenc ...
and
cormorant Phalacrocoracidae is a family of approximately 40 species of aquatic birds commonly known as cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed, but in 2021 the IOC adopted a consensus taxonomy of seven ge ...
s. *
Phalacrocoracidae Phalacrocoracidae is a family of approximately 40 species of aquatic birds commonly known as cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed, but in 2021 the IOC adopted a consensus taxonomy of seven gen ...
– cormorants and shags ** Extinct species of extant genus *** Serventy's cormorant, ''Microcarbo serventyorum'' (Western Australia) *** Madagascar cormorant, ''Phalacrocorax'' sp. (Madagascar) *** Kohatu shag, ''Leucocarbo septentrionalis'' (North Island, New Zealand) *
Sulidae The bird family Sulidae comprises the gannets and boobies. Collectively called sulids, they are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish and similar prey. The 10 species in this family are often considered congeneric in older sou ...
– gannets and boobies ** Extinct subspecies of extant species *** Ua Huka booby, ''Papasula abbotti costelloi'' (Ua Huka, Marquesas)


Phoenicopteriformes

The group that includes modern
flamingo Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of Wader, wading bird in the Family (biology), family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas ...
s *
Phoenicopteridae Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas (including the Caribbean) ...
- flamingos ** ''
Phoenicopterus copei ''Phoenicopterus copei'' is an extinct species of flamingo that inhabited North America during the Late Pleistocene. Its fossils have been discovered in Oregon, California, Mexico and Florida. Many of these localities preserve the remains of juve ...
'' (Late Pleistocene of W North America and C Mexico) ** ''
Phoenicopterus minutus ''Phoenicopterus minutus'' is an extinct species of flamingo which inhabited California during the Late Pleistocene. It was originally discovered in San Bernardino County, California in the Lake Manix beds, where it coexisted with a second, large ...
'' (Late Pleistocene of California, US)


Procellariiformes

The group that includes modern
albatross Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds related to the procellariids, storm petrels, and diving petrels in the order Procellariiformes (the tubenoses). They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacifi ...
es,
petrel Petrels are tube-nosed seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. Description The common name does not indicate relationship beyond that point, as "petrels" occur in three of the four families within that group (all except the albatross f ...
s and
storm petrel Storm-petrel may refer to one of two bird families, both in the order Procellariiformes, once treated as the same family. The two families are: *Northern storm petrels (''Hydrobatidae'') are found in the Northern Hemisphere, although some species ...
s. *
Procellariidae The family Procellariidae is a group of seabirds that comprises the fulmarine petrels, the gadfly petrels, the diving petrels, the prions, and the shearwaters. This family is part of the bird order Procellariiformes (or tubenoses), which also ...
– petrels ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Dune shearwater The dune shearwater (''Puffinus holeae''), also known as the Canarian shearwater or Hole's shearwater, was a relatively large shearwater which bred in the Canary Islands archipelago of the North Atlantic Ocean. Fossils have also been found ...
or Hole's shearwater, ''Puffinus holeae'' (Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, and Atlantic coast of Iberian peninsula) ***
Lava shearwater The lava shearwater (''Puffinus olsoni''), or Olson's shearwater, was a species of shearwater that bred on Lanzarote and Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. It is known from fossil remains, and was only described in 1990. It was intermediate ...
or Olson's shearwater, ''Puffinus olsoni'' (Canary Islands, E Atlantic) *** Saint Helena shearwater ''Puffinus pacificoides'' (St Helena, S Atlantic) *** Scarlett's shearwater, ''Puffinus spelaeus'' (South Island, New Zealand) *** Menorcan shearwater, ''Puffinus'' sp. (Menorca, Balearic Islands) – possibly extirpated population of extant species *** ' Eua shearwater ''Puffinus'' sp ('Eua, Tonga) *** O'ahu petrel, ''Pterodroma jugabilis'' (O'ahu, Hawaiian Islands) *** ' Eua petrel ''Puffinus'' sp ('Eua, Tonga) *** Canary Islands petrel, ''Pterodroma'' sp. (El Hierro, Canary Islands) – possibly extirpated population of extant species *** ''Pterodroma'' sp. (Chatham Islands, SW Pacific) *** ''Pterodroma'' sp. (Henderson Island, S Pacific) *** Bourne's petrel, ''Pterodroma'' sp. (Rodrigues) *** ''Pseudobulweria'' sp. (
Taravai Taravai is the second largest island in the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia, at 5.7 km2. Taravai is about 1.5 km southwest of Mangareva and about 300 m north of the island of Angakauitai. Off its eastern shore lies the tiny rock Î ...
,
Angakauitai Angakauitai is an island of the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia.Mangareva Mangareva is the central and largest island of the Gambier Islands in French Polynesia. It is surrounded by smaller islands: Taravai in the southwest, Aukena and Akamaru in the southeast, and islands in the north. Mangareva has a permanent pop ...
) *** ''Pterodroma'' sp. (Norfolk Island) ** Placement unresolved *** Procellariidae sp. (
Easter Island Easter Island ( rap, Rapa Nui; es, Isla de Pascua) is an island and special territory of Chile in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. The island is most famous for its nearl ...
, East Pacific) – possibly extirpated population of extant species


Sphenisciformes

*
Spheniscidae Penguins ( order Sphenisciformes , family Spheniscidae ) are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: only one species, the Galápagos penguin, is found north of the Equator. Highly adapt ...
– penguins ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Chatham penguin The Chatham penguin (''Eudyptes warhami''), also known as the Chatham crested penguin, Chatham Islands penguin, or Warham's penguin, is an extinct species of crested penguin previously endemic to the Chatham Islands of New Zealand. It is known o ...
, ''Eudyptes warhami'' (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific) – possibly still extant in 1867 ***
Waitaha penguin The Waitaha penguin (''Megadyptes waitaha'') is an extinct species of New Zealand penguin described in 2009. Taxonomy The new species was discovered by University of Otago and University of Adelaide scientists comparing the foot bones of 500 ...
, ''Megadyptes waitaha'' (South Island and Stewart Island, New Zealand)


Columbiformes

*
Columbidae Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...
– doves and pigeons ** †''
Dysmoropelia The Saint Helena dove (''Dysmoropelia dekarchiskos'') was a species of flightless bird in the family Columbidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Dysmoropelia''. It was endemic to the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is k ...
'' ***
Saint Helena dove The Saint Helena dove (''Dysmoropelia dekarchiskos'') was a species of flightless bird in the family Columbidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Dysmoropelia''. It was endemic to the island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean. It is ...
, ''Dysmoropelia dekarchiskos'' (Saint Helena, Atlantic) – known from Pleistocene bones but might have persisted until the 16th century ** †'' Natunaornis'' ***
Viti Levu giant pigeon The Viti Levu giant pigeon or Fiji giant ground pigeon (''Natunaornis gigoura'') is an extinct flightless pigeon of Viti Levu, the largest island in Fiji. It was only slightly smaller than the dodo (''Raphus cucullatus'') and Rodrigues solitair ...
, ''Natunaornis gigoura'' (Viti Levu, Fiji) ** †''
Bountyphaps ''Bountyphaps obsoleta'' is an extinct species of pigeon. It was described in 2008 as a new genus and species from subfossil remains found on Henderson Island in the Pitcairn Group of southeastern Polynesia. Additionally, an indeterminate speci ...
'' *** Henderson Island archaic pigeon, ''Bountyphaps obsoleta'' (Henderson Island, S Pacific) ** †''
Tongoenas ''Tongoenas'', also known as the Tongan giant pigeon, is an extinct genus of giant pigeon that grew up to long that was once native to the islands of Tonga. It had existed as a genus for at least 60,000 years, and went extinct around 850-600 BCE ...
'' *** Tongan giant pigeon, ''Tongoenas burleyi'' (Tonga) ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Huahine cuckoo-dove The Huahine cuckoo-dove (''Macropygia arevarevauupa'') is an extinct species of bird in the family Columbidae. It was endemic to French Polynesia where subfossil bones between 750 and 1250 years old have been found at the Fa'ahia early occupatio ...
, ''Macropygia arevarevauupa'' (Huahine, Society Islands) *** Marquesan cuckoo-dove, ''Macropygia heana'' (Marquesas, Pacific) ***
Puerto Rican quail-dove The Puerto Rican quail-dove (''Geotrygon larva'') is an extinct species of dove from the genus of quail-doves ''Geotrygon''. It is only known by subfossil material from the Holocene. Remains of the Puerto Rican quail-dove were unearthed in the ...
, ''Geotrygon larva'' (Puerto Rico, West Indies) *** Great ground-dove, ''Gallicolumba nui'' (Marquesas and Cook Islands) ***
Henderson ground dove The Henderson ground dove (''Pampusana leonpascoi''), or Henderson Island ground dove, is an extinct species of bird in the family Columbidae. It was described from Holocene to possibly Late Pleistocene-aged subfossil remains found on Henderson ...
, ''Gallicolumba leonpascoi'' (Henderson Island, S Pacific) *** New Caledonian ground-dove, ''Gallicolumba longitarsus'' (New Caledonia) *** Huahine ground-dove, ''Gallicolumba'' sp. (Huahine, Society Islands) – ''G. nui''? *** Mangaia ground-dove, ''Gallicolumba'' sp. (Mangaia, Cook Islands) – ''G. nui''? *** Rota ground dove, ''Gallicolumba'' sp. (Rota, Marianas) ***
Tongan tooth-billed pigeon The Tongan tooth-billed pigeon (''Didunculus placopedetes''), is an extinct species of pigeon that was endemic to Tonga that lived in the Quaternary period. A related species, the tooth-billed pigeon (''Didunculus strigirostris''), is the only kn ...
, ''Didunculus placopedetes'' (Tonga, Pacific) ***
Kanaka pigeon The Kanaka pigeon (''Caloenas canacorum''), also known as the great green pigeon or greater maned pigeon, is an extinct species of pigeon. It was probably hunted to extinction by the early settlers of New Caledonia and Tonga around 2,500 yea ...
, ''Caloenas canacorum'' (New Caledonia, Tonga) *** Henderson imperial pigeon, ''Ducula harrisoni'' (Henderson Island, S Pacific) *** Lakeba imperial-pigeon, ''Ducula lakeba'' (Lakeba, Fiji) *** Steadman's imperial-pigeon, ''Ducula david'' ('Eua, Tonga, and Wallis Island) *** Tongan imperial-pigeon, ''Ducula'' sp. ('Eua, Foa and Lifuka, Tonga) – may be ''D. david'', ''D. lakeba'' or new species *** Shutler's fruit pigeon, ''Ducula shutleri'' (Vava'u and Tongatapu, Tonga) *** ''Ducula'' cf. ''galeata'' (Cook Islands) – possibly new species *** ''Ducula'' cf. ''galeata'' (Society Islands) – possibly new species *** ''Ducula'' sp. (Viti Levu, Fiji) – may be ''D. lakeba'' *** Tubuai fruit-dove, ''Ptilinopus'' sp. (Tubuai, Austral Islands) *** '' Columba melitensis'' (Malta)


Mesitornithiformes

*
Mesitornithidae The mesites (Mesitornithidae) are a family of birds that are part of a clade (Columbimorphae) that include Columbiformes and Pterocliformes. They are smallish flightless or near flightless birds endemic to Madagascar. They are the only family wit ...
– mesite ** ''Monias'' *** ''Monias'' sp. (Madagascar)


Psittaciformes

* Placement unresolved ** Psittaciformes gen. et sp. indet. (Rota, Marianas) – cf. ''Cacatua/Eclectus''? * Strigopidae – kakas and kakapos ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Chatham Islands kaka, ''Nestor chathamensis'' (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific) *
Cacatuidae A cockatoo is any of the 21 parrot species belonging to the family (biology), family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea (true parrots) and the Strigopoidea (large New Zealand parrots), the ...
cockatoos ** Extinct species of extant genera *** New Caledonian cockatoo, ''Cacatua'' sp. (New Caledonia) *** New Ireland cockatoo, ''Cacatua'' sp. (New Ireland) *
Psittacidae The family Psittacidae or holotropical parrots is one of three families of true parrots. It comprises the roughly 10 species of subfamily Psittacinae (the Old World or Afrotropical parrots) and 157 of subfamily Arinae (the New World or Neotropic ...
– parrots, parakeets, and lorikeets ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Saint Croix macaw The St. Croix macaw (''Ara autocthones'') or Puerto Rican macaw, is an extinct species of macaw whose remains have been found on the Caribbean islands of St. Croix and Puerto Rico. It was described in 1937 based on a tibiotarsus leg bone unearthe ...
, ''Ara autocthones'' (Saint Croix, West Indies) ***
Oceanic eclectus parrot The oceanic eclectus parrot (''Eclectus infectus'') is an extinct parrot species which occurred on Tonga, Vanuatu and possibly on Fiji. Its only living relative is the eclectus parrot (''Eclectus roratus''), which has proportionally larger wings ...
, ''Eclectus infectus'' (Tonga, Vanuatu, possibly Fiji) – may have survived to the 18th century or even longer. ***
Sinoto's lorikeet Sinoto's lorikeet (''Vini sinotoi'') is a species of parrot that became extinct 700–1,300 years ago. It was identified from fossils on the Marquesas Islands. The species epithet commemorates anthropologist Yosihiko H. Sinoto Yosihiko H. Si ...
, ''Vini sinotoi'' (Marquesas, Pacific) ***
Conquered lorikeet The conquered lorikeet (''Vini vidivici'') is a species of parrot that became extinct 700–1300 years ago. It lived in islands of Polynesia. David Steadman and Marie Zarriello wrote its species description in 1987. It was discovered in the olde ...
, ''Vini vidivici'' (Mangaia, Cook Islands, and Marqesas) *** Campbell parakeet, ''Cyanoramphus'' sp. (Campbell Island, New Zealand) ** Extinct subspecies of an extant species *** Virgin Islands parrot (''Amazona vittata'' ssp. indet.) ** Placement unresolved *** Psittacidae gen. et sp. indet. 1 (Easter Island) *** Psittacidae gen. et sp. indet. 2 (Easter Island) *** Psittacidae gen. et sp. indet. (Guam, Marianas) – cf. ''Trichoglossus/Vini''?


Cuculiformes

*
Cuculidae Cuckoos are birds in the Cuculidae family, the sole taxon in the order Cuculiformes . The cuckoo family includes the common or European cuckoo, roadrunners, koels, malkohas, couas, coucals and anis. The coucals and anis are sometimes separ ...
– cuckoos ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Henderson Island koel, ''Urodynamis'' cf. ''taitensis'' *** Ancient coua, ''Coua primaeva'' (Madagascar) *** Bertha's coua, ''
Coua berthae ''Coua berthae'' is an extinct species of coua, a large, mostly terrestrial bird in the cuckoo family, from Madagascar. It was the largest member of its genus, living or extinct. It was named in honour of the Malagasy zoologist Berthe Rakotosami ...
'' (Madagascar) *** ''Extinct subspecies of extant species'' **** Conkling's roadrunner, ''Geococcyx californianus conklingi'' (Inland SW North America)


Accipitriformes

Birds of prey *
Accipitridae The Accipitridae is one of the three families within the order Accipitriformes, and is a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-s ...
– hawks and eagles ** †'' Bermuteo'' *** Bermuda hawk, ''Bermuteo avivorus'' (Bermuda, W Atlantic) ** †''
Amplibuteo ''Amplibuteo'' is an extinct genus of birds of prey, belonging to the family Accipitridae The Accipitridae is one of the three families within the order Accipitriformes, and is a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and v ...
'' ***
Woodward's eagle Woodward's eagle (''Buteogallus woodwardi'') is an extinct species of eagle that lived in North America and the Caribbean during the Late Pleistocene. It is one of the largest birds of prey ever found, with an estimated total length , slightly ...
, ''Amplibuteo woodwardi'' (Caribbean and North America) ** †'' Gigantohierax'' *** Cuban giant-hawk, ''Gigantohierax suarezi'' (Cuba, West Indies) ** †''
Titanohierax ''Titanohierax gloveralleni'' is an extinct hawk species known from fossils found in Cuba, Hispaniola (today the Dominican Republic and Haiti), and The Bahamas. Description ''Titanohierax'' was a very large hawk, with a measured fore-claw len ...
'' *** Bahaman titan-hawk, ''Titanohierax gloveralleni'' (Bahamas, West Indies) *** Hispaniolan titan-hawk, ''Titanohierax'' sp. (Hispaniola, West Indies) **Extinct species of extant genera ***
Powerful goshawk The powerful goshawk (''Accipiter efficax''), also referred to as the greater New Caledonian goshawk, is an extinct species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It was endemic to the island of New Caledonia in Melanesia in the southwest P ...
, ''Accipiter efficax'' (New Caledonia, Melanesia) *** Gracile goshawk, ''Accipiter quartus'' (New Caledonia, Melanesia) ***''Accipiter'' sp. 1 (New Ireland, Melanesia) ***''Accipiter'' sp. 2 (New Ireland, Melanesia) – one of the two New Ireland species may be
Meyer's goshawk Meyer's goshawk (''Accipiter meyerianus'') is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is found in the Moluccas, New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist ...
***''Aquila'' sp. "large" (Madagascar) ***''Aquila'' sp. "small" (Madagascar) *** Borras' eagle-hawk, ''Buteogallus borrasi'' (Cuba, West Indies) – formerly in ''Aquila''/''Titanohierax'' ***
Wood harrier The wood harrier or mime harrier (''Circus dossenus'') is an extinct bird of prey which lived in Hawaii during the Holocene. This small, short-winged harrier inhabited the forests of Molokai and Oahu where it presumably hunted for small birds a ...
, ''Circus dossenus'' (Moloka‘i, Hawaiian Islands) ***
Eyles' harrier Eyles's harrier (''Circus teauteensis'') is an extinct bird of prey which lived in New Zealand. Its closest relative is the smaller Swamp harrier (''Circus approximans''), which arrived in New Zealand after its extinction. Name This species wa ...
, ''Circus eylesi'' (New Zealand) (The Forbes' harrier, ''Circus teauteensis'', is considered as synonym of the Eyles' harrier by some authors) ***
Haast's eagle Haast's eagle (''Hieraaetus moorei'') is an extinct species of eagle that once lived in the South Island of New Zealand, commonly accepted to be the pouakai of Māori legend.subfossil A fossil (from Classical Latin , ) is any preserved remains, impression, or trace of any once-living thing from a past geological age. Examples include bones, shells, exoskeletons, stone imprints of animals or microbes, objects preserved in ...
sea eagle (''
Haliaeetus A sea eagle or fish eagle (also called erne or ern, mostly in reference to the white-tailed eagle) is any of the birds of prey in the genus ''Haliaeetus'' in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. Taxonomy and evolution The genus ''Haliaeetus'' ...
'') from
Maui The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, which ...
may be a valid species or subspecies; another one listed from the
Chatham Islands The Chatham Islands ( ) (Moriori: ''Rēkohu'', 'Misty Sun'; mi, Wharekauri) are an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean about east of New Zealand's South Island. They are administered as part of New Zealand. The archipelago consists of about te ...
is in error. ***
Malagasy crowned eagle The Malagasy crowned eagle (''Stephanoaetus mahery''), also known as the Madagascar crowned hawk-eagle, is an extinct large bird of prey endemic to Madagascar. It has been proposed that this bird, combined with elephant bird eggs, were the sourc ...
, ''Stephanoaetus mahery'' (Madagascar) **Extinct subspecies of extant species *** ''
Aquila chrysaetos simurgh ''Aquila chrysaetos simurgh'' is an extinct subspecies of the widespread golden eagle. Fossils are found in Crete; it was sometimes evaluated as a full species. Ecology It lived during the Pleistocene in Crete with ''Mammuthus creticus ''Mamm ...
'' (Crete) (sometimes considered as full species)


Falconiformes

*
Falconidae The falcons and caracaras are around 60 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae (representing all extant species in the order Falconiformes). The family is divided into three subfamilies, Herpetotherinae, which inclu ...
– falcons **Extinct species of extant genera *** Bahaman caracara, ''Caracara creightoni'' (Bahamas and Cuba, West Indies) – may be same as ''C. latebrosus'' *** Puerto Rican caracara, ''Caracara latebrosus'' (Puerto Rico, West Indies) *** ''Caracara major'' (Venezuela) *** ''Caracara seymouri'' (Peru, Ecuador) ***
Jamaican caracara The Jamaican caracara (''Caracara tellustris'') is a prehistoric species of terrestrial bird in the falcon family, Falconidae. It was native to the island of Jamaica in the Caribbean, where it probably inhabited dry forests in the island's south ...
, ''Caracara tellustris'' (Jamaica, West Indies) *** Cuban caracara, ''Milvago carbo'' (Cuba, West Indies) *** ?''Milvago'' sp. (Jamaica, West Indies) ***
Cuban kestrel The Cuban kestrel (''Falco kurochkini'') was a species of small falcon in the family Falconidae that was formerly endemic to the island of Cuba. It was described from fossil remains from late Quaternary deposits from several sites throughout th ...
, ''Falco kurochkini'' (Cuba, West Indies) – may have survived to the 17th century *** ''
Phalcoboenus napieri ''Phalcoboenus'' is a small genus of caracara in the family Falconidae. They are found in barren, open habitats in the Andes, Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. The four species are almost entirely allopatric. The adults are distinctive, with b ...
'' (Falkland Islands)


Caprimulgiformes

Nightjars and
potoo Potoos (family Nyctibiidae) are a group of birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths. They are sometimes called poor-me-ones, after their haunting calls. The family Nyctibiidae was formerly included with the nightjars in the order Caprimulg ...
s * Caprimulgidae – nightjars ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Cuban pauraque The Cuban pauraque (''Siphonorhis daiquiri''), also known as the Cuban poorwill, is an extinct species of nightjar from the island of Cuba in the Caribbean. History It was described by Storrs Olson in 1985 from subfossil material he collecte ...
, ''Siphonorhis daiquiri'' (Cuba, West Indies) – possibly extant


Aegotheliformes

Owlet-nightjars * Aegothelidae ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
New Zealand owlet-nightjar The New Zealand owlet-nightjar (''Aegotheles novazelandiae'') is an extinct, comparatively large species of owlet-nightjar (family Aegothelidae) formerly endemic to the islands of New Zealand. Fossil remains (which are common in the pellets of t ...
, ''Aegotheles novaezealandiae'' (New Zealand) – formerly ''Megaegotheles''


Apodiformes

Swifts and
hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics aro ...
s. *
Apodidae The swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are not closely related to any passerine species. Swifts are placed in the order Apodiformes with hummingbirds. The treeswifts are closely r ...
– swifts ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Mangaia swiftlet The Mangaia swiftlet (''Aerodramus manuoi'') is an extinct species of bird in the swift family. It became extinct during prehistoric times. It was endemic to Mangaia in the Cook Islands. It was closely allied with the extant Atiu swiftlet (''A ...
, ''Aerodramus manuoi'' (Mangaia, Cook Islands) – formerly ''Collocalia''


Bucerotiformes

Hornbill Hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family (biology), family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly coloured and sometimes has a Casque (an ...
s and relatives. Formerly included in
Coraciiformes The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colourful birds including the kingfishers, the bee-eaters, the rollers, the motmots, and the todies. They generally have syndactyly, with three forward-pointing toes (and toes 3 & 4 fused at their base) ...
. *
Bucerotidae Hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly coloured and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible ...
– hornbills ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Lifou hornbill, ''Rhyticeros'' (''"Aceros"'') sp. (Lifou, Loyalty Islands)


Piciformes

Woodpeckers Woodpeckers are part of the bird family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks, and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. M ...
,
puffbird The puffbirds and their relatives in the near passerine family Bucconidae are tropical tree-dwelling insectivorous birds that are found from South America up to Mexico. Together with their closest relatives, the jacamars, they form a divergent li ...
and
jacamar The jacamars are a family, Galbulidae, of near passerine birds from tropical South and Central America, extending up to Mexico. The family contains five genera and 18 species. The family is closely related to the puffbirds, another Neotropical f ...
s. *
Picidae Woodpeckers are part of the bird family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks, and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. M ...
– woodpeckers ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Bermuda flicker The Bermuda flicker (''Colaptes oceanicus'') is an extinct woodpecker from the genus ''Colaptes''. It was confined to Bermuda and is known only by fossil remains dated to the Late Pleistocene and the Holocene. However, an old travel report by exp ...
, ''Colaptes oceanicus'' (Bermuda, known from Pleistocene bones, but might have persisted until the Holocene)


Coraciiformes

*
Brachypteraciidae The ground rollers are a small family of non-migratory near-passerine birds restricted to Madagascar. They are related to the kingfishers, bee-eaters and rollers. They most resemble the latter group, and are sometimes considered a sub-family of ...
– ground rollers ** ''
Brachypteracias ''Brachypteracias'' is a small genus of birds in the ground-roller family Brachypteraciidae. The genus is endemic to Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, lin ...
'' ***
Ampoza ground roller The Ampoza ground roller (''Brachypteracias langrandi'') was a species of bird in the ground roller family Brachypteraciidae. It is known only from a single humerus fossil discovered in 1929 in southwest Madagascar. Little is known about the spec ...
, ''Brachypteracias lagrandi'' (Madagascar)


Strigiformes

Owls and barn owls. *
Strigidae The true owls or typical owls (family Strigidae) are one of the two generally accepted families of owls, the other being the barn owls (Tytonidae). This large family comprises 230 living or recently extinct species in 24 genera. The typical owl ...
– typical owls ** †''
Grallistrix The stilt-owls (''Grallistrix'') is an extinct genus of true owls which contains four species, all of which lived on the Hawaiian Islands. ''Grallistrix'' can be loosely translated as "owl on stilts". The genus received this name due to the lon ...
'' *** Kauaʻi stilt-owl, ''Grallistrix auceps'' (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) ***
Maui stilt-owl The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, which ...
, ''Grallistrix erdmani'' (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) *** Molokaʻi stilt-owl, ''Grallistrix geleches'' (Molokaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) *** O'ahu stilt-owl, ''Grallistrix orion'' (O'ahu, Hawaiian Islands) ** †''
Ornimegalonyx The Cuban giant owl or giant cursorial owl (''Ornimegalonyx'') is an extinct genus of giant owl that measured in height. It is closely related to the many species of living owls of the genus ''Strix''.Feduccia, Alan (1996) "The Origin and Evoluti ...
'' ***
Cuban giant owl The Cuban giant owl or giant cursorial owl (''Ornimegalonyx'') is an extinct genus of giant owl that measured in height. It is closely related to the many species of living owls of the genus ''Strix''.Feduccia, Alan (1996) "The Origin and Evoluti ...
, ''Ornimegalonxy oteroi'' (Cuba, West Indies) *** ''Ornimegalonyx'' sp. – probably subspecies of ''O. oteroi'' **†''
Asphaltoglaux The asphalt miniature owl (''Asphaltoglaux cecileae'') is an extinct species of true owl which existed in what is now California, U.S.A. during the Late Pleistocene epoch. The species is known from the La Brea Tar Pits. Its osteology suggests a c ...
'' ***
Asphalt miniature owl The asphalt miniature owl (''Asphaltoglaux cecileae'') is an extinct species of true owl which existed in what is now California, U.S.A. during the Late Pleistocene epoch. The species is known from the La Brea Tar Pits. Its osteology suggests a c ...
, ''Asphaltoglaux cecileae'' **†''
Oraristrix The La Brea owl (''Oraristix brea'') is an extinct owl reported from the upper Pleistocene asphalt deposits of the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, California. It was first described in 1933 by Hildegarde Howard as ''Strix brea'', but this extinc ...
'' ***
La Brea owl The La Brea owl (''Oraristix brea'') is an extinct owl reported from the upper Pleistocene asphalt deposits of the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, California. It was first described in 1933 by Hildegarde Howard as ''Strix brea'', but this extinc ...
, ''Oraristrix brea'' ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Cuban horned owl, ''Bubo osvaldoi'' (Cuba, West Indies) *** Cretan owl, ''Athene cretensis'' (Crete, Mediterranean) *** New Caledonia boobook, ''Ninox'' cf. ''novaeseelandiae'' (New Caledonia, Melanesia) – possibly extant ***
Madeiran scops owl The Madeiran scops owl (''Otus mauli'') is a small extinction, extinct owl that once inhabited the island of Madeira in the Macaronesian archipelago off the north-west coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. History Fossil b ...
(''Otus mauli'') (Madeira) ***
São Miguel scops owl The São Miguel scops owl (''Otus frutuosoi'') is a small extinct owl that once inhabited the island of São Miguel, in the Macaronesian archipelago of the Azores, in the North Atlantic Ocean. Its scientific specific name honours the 16th-centur ...
(''Otus frutuosoi'') (Azores) ***
Kurochkin's pygmy owl Kurochkin's pygmy owl (''Glaucidium kurochkini'') is an extinct species of pygmy owl that existed in what is now California, U.S.A. during the Late Pleistocene Epoch. Discovery and naming The holotype of ''Glaucidium kurochkini'' is LACM RLB K9 ...
(''Glaucidium kurochkini'') (California, United States) ***
Bermuda saw-whet owl The Bermuda saw-whet owl (''Aegolius gradyi'') was a species of owl that was endemic to Bermuda. It was described from fossil records and explorer accounts of the bird in the 17th century. The cause of its extinct Extinction is the terminat ...
(''Aegolius gradyi'') (Bermuda) – known from Pleistocene bones, but might have persist until the early 1600s *** '' Asio ecuadoriensis'' (Ecuador) ** Placement unresolved *** Strigidae gen. et sp. indet. (Ibiza, Mediterranean) *
Tytonidae Barn-owls (family Tytonidae) are one of the two families of owls, the other being the true owls or typical owls, Strigidae. They are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with po ...
– barn owls ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Puerto Rican barn owl The Puerto Rican barn owl (''Tyto cavatica'') is an extinct species of barn owl that inhabited the island of Puerto Rico in the Caribbean. It is sometimes considered to be a subspecies of the ashy-faced owl (''Tyto glaucops''). References ...
, ''Tyto cavatica'' (Puerto Rico, West Indies) – may still have existed in 1912; likely synonym of extant ''T. glaucops'' *** Cuban dwarf barn owl, ''Tyto maniola'' (Cuba, West Indies) ***
New Caledonian barn owl The New Caledonian barn owl (''Tyto letocarti''), also referred to as Letocart's barn owl, is an extinct species of owl in the barn owl family. It was endemic to the island of New Caledonia in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific region. It ...
, ''?Tyto letocarti'' (New Caledonia, Melanesia) *** Maltese barn owl, ''Tyto melitensis'' (Malta, Mediterranean) – possibly a
paleosubspecies A chronospecies is a species derived from a sequential development pattern that involves continual and uniform changes from an extinct ancestral form on an evolutionary scale. The sequence of alterations eventually produces a population that is p ...
or a synonym of ''
Tyto alba The barn owl (''Tyto alba'') is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds, being found almost everywhere except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the Himalay ...
'' *** Noel's barn owl, ''Tyto noeli'' (Cuba, Barbuda, West Indies) (''Tyto neddi'' is a synonym) *** Hispaniolan barn owl, ''Tyto ostologa'' (Hispaniola, West Indies) *** Bahama giant barn owl, ''
Tyto pollens ''Tyto pollens'' is an extinct giant barn owl which lived in the Bahamas during the last Ice Age. Description It is only known from the partial remains of three individuals which have been collected on the islands of Little Exuma (the site was mi ...
'' (Andros, Bahamas, Cuba, West Indies) (''Tyto riveroi'' is a synonym) *** Antiguan barn owl ''Tyto'' sp. (Antigua, West Indies) *** Mussau barn owl, ''Tyto'' cf. ''novaehollandiae'' (Mussau, Melanesia) *** New Ireland greater barn owl, ''Tyto'' cf. ''novaehollandiae'' (New Ireland, Melanesia) *** New Ireland lesser barn owl, ''Tyto'' cf. ''alba/aurantiaca'' (New Ireland, Melanesia) *** Craves’s giant barn owl, ''Tyto cravesae'' (Cuba, West Indies)


Passeriformes

* Placement unresolved ** Slender-billed Kauaʻi passerine, Passeriformes gen. et sp. indet. (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) ** Tiny Kauaʻi passerine, Passeriformes gen. et sp. indet. (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) *
Acanthisittidae The New Zealand wrens are a family (Acanthisittidae) of tiny passerines endemic to New Zealand. They were represented by seven Holocene species in four or five genera, although only two species in two genera survive today. They are understood to ...
– New Zealand wrens ** †''Pachyplichas'' ***
Stout-legged wren ''Pachyplichas'' is a genus containing two extinct species of New Zealand wren, a family of small birds endemic to New Zealand. Species * †'' P. yaldwyni'' (South Island stout-legged wren) – South Island, New Zealand * †'' P. jagmi'' (No ...
, or South Island stout-legged wren, ''Pachyplichas yaldwyni'' (North Island, New Zealand) ***
North Island stout-legged wren The North Island stout-legged wren or Grant-Mackie's wren (''Pachyplichas jagmi'') is an extinct species of New Zealand wren, a family of small birds endemic to New Zealand. History and etymology The holotype is a right tarsometatarsus (AU 71 ...
, ''
Pachyplichas jagmi The North Island stout-legged wren or Grant-Mackie's wren (''Pachyplichas jagmi'') is an extinct species of New Zealand wren, a family of small birds endemic to New Zealand. History and etymology The holotype is a right tarsometatarsus (AU 71 ...
'' (South Island, New Zealand) – may be subspecies of ''P. yaldwyni'' ** †''Dendroscansor'' *** Long-billed wren, ''Dendroscansor decurvirostris'' (South Island, New Zealand) *** Extinct subspecies of extant species **** North Island piwauwau, ''Xenicus gilviventris'' ssp. nov. (North Island, New Zealand) –
rock wren The rock wren (''Salpinctes obsoletus'') is a small songbird of the wren family native to western North America, Mexico and Central America. It is the only species in the genus ''Salpinctes''. Description Measurements: * Length: 4.9-5.9 i ...
subspecies *
Corvidae Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds that contains the crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs, and nutcrackers. In colloquial English, they are known as the crow family or corvids. Currently, 13 ...
– crows, ravens, jays and magpies ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Chatham Islands raven, ''Corvus moriorum'' (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific) *** High-billed crow, ''Corvus impluviatus'' (O'ahu, Hawaiian Islands) *** ''Corvus'' sp. (Pu‘u Wa‘awa‘a’, North Kona District, Hawaii, Hawaiian Islands) ***
New Zealand raven The New Zealand raven (''Corvus antipodum'') was native to the North Island and South Island of New Zealand but has been extinct since the 16th century. There were two subspecies: the North Island raven (''Corvus antipodum antipodum'') and the So ...
, ''Corvus antipodum'' (New Zealand) **** North Island raven, ''Corvus antipodum antipodum'' (North Island, New Zealand) **** South Island raven, ''Corvus antipodum pycrafti'' (South Island, New Zealand) *** Robust crow, ''Corvus viriosus'' (O'ahu and Moloka'i, Hawaiian Islands) *** New Ireland crow, ''Corvus'' sp. (New Ireland, Melanesia) ***
Puerto Rican crow The Puerto Rican crow (''Corvus pumilis'') is an extinct crow species in the family Corvidae that was endemic to Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. Little is known about its habitat, but it possibly died out after the colonization ...
, ''Corvus pumilis'' (Puerto Rico and St Croix, West Indies) – probably a subspecies of '' C. nasicus'' or '' C. palmarum'' *
Hirundinidae The swallows, martins, and saw-wings, or Hirundinidae, are a family of passerine songbirds found around the world on all continents, including occasionally in Antarctica. Highly adapted to aerial feeding, they have a distinctive appearance. The ...
– swallows and martins ** Extinct subspecies of extant species ***
Henderson Island Pacific swallow Henderson may refer to: People *Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname *Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina *Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada *He ...
, ''Hirundo tahitensis'' ssp. nov. (Henderson Island, S Pacific) *
Cettiidae Cettiidae is a newly validated family of small insectivorous songbirds ("warblers"), formerly placed in the Old World warbler "wastebin" assemblage. It contains the typical bush warblers (''Cettia'') and their relatives. As a common name, cetti ...
– bush warblers ** Extinct species of extant genera *** ʻEua bush warbler, ''Horornis'' sp. (ʻEua, Tonga) *
Zosteropidae The white-eyes are a family, Zosteropidae, of small passerine birds native to tropical, subtropical and temperate Sub-Saharan Africa, southern and eastern Asia, and Australasia. White-eyes inhabit most tropical islands in the Indian Ocean, the ...
– white-eyes ** Placement unresolved *** Tongan large white-eye, Zosteropidae gen. et sp. indet. ('Eua, Tonga) *** Guam large white-eye, Zosteropidae gen. et sp. indet. (Guam, Marianas) * Sturnidae – starlings ** †''Cryptopsar'' ***
Mauritius starling The Mauritius starling (''Cryptopsar ischyrhynchus'') is an extinct species of starling, described in 2014 by Julian P. Hume, based on subfossils from Mauritius. The holotype mandible was discovered in 1904, but was hidden in a museum drawer for ...
, ''Cryptopsar ischyrhynchus'' (Mauritius, Mascarenes) ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Huahine starling The Huahine starling (''Aplonis diluvialis'') is an extinct bird from the genus ''Aplonis'' within the starling family, Sturnidae. It was endemic to the island of Huahine, in the Society Islands of French Polynesia, and therefore had the easternm ...
, ''Aplonis diluvialis'' (Huahine, Society Islands) *** Erromango starling, ''Aplonis'' sp. (Erromango, Vanuatu) *
Turdidae The thrushes are a passerine bird family, Turdidae, with a worldwide distribution. The family was once much larger before biologists reclassified the former subfamily Saxicolinae, which includes the chats and European robins, as Old World flycat ...
– thrushes ** †'' Meridiocichla'' *** †'' Meridiocichla salotti'' (Corsica) ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Maui olomaʻo, ''Myadestes'' cf. ''lanaiensis'' (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) – may have survived until the 19th century *
Mohoidae Mohoidae, also known as the Hawaiian honeyeaters, is a family of Hawaiian species of recently extinct, nectarivorous songbirds in the genera '' Moho'' (ōō) and ''Chaetoptila'' (kioea). These now extinct birds form their own family, representing ...
– Hawaiian honeyeaters ** Prehistorically extinct species of recently extinct genera *** Oʻahu kioea, ''Chaetoptila'' cf. ''angustipluma'' (Oʻahu and Maui, Hawaiian Islands) *** Narrow-billed kioea, ?''Chaetoptila'' sp. (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) *
Fringillidae The true finches are small to medium-sized passerine birds in the family Fringillidae. Finches have stout conical bills adapted for eating seeds and nuts and often have colourful plumage. They occupy a great range of habitats where they are usua ...
– finches, Hawaiian honeycreepers ** †''Orthiospiza'' ***
Highland finch The highland finch (''Orthiospiza howarthi'') is an extinct member of the Fringillidae and a Hawaiian honeycreeper which is known only from a few bones found in caves. It is the only member of the genus ''Orthiospiza''. It was endemic to the high- ...
, ''Orthiospiza howarthi'' (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) ** †'' Xestospiza'' *** Cone-billed finch, ''Xestospiza conica'' (Kauaʻi and Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands) *** Ridge-billed finch, ''Xestospiza fastigialis'' (Oʻahu, Maui and Molokaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) ** †'' Vangulifer'' *** Strange-billed finch, ''Vangulifer mirandus'' (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) *** Thin-billed finch, ''Vangulifer neophasis'' (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) ** †'' Aidemedia'' *** Oʻahu icterid-like gaper, ''Aidemedia chascax'' (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands) *** Sickle-billed gaper, ''Aidemedia zanclops'' (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands) *** Maui Nui icterid-like gaper, ''Aidemedia lutetiae'' (Maui and Molokaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) ** Prehistorically extinct species of extant and recently extinct genera ***
Slender-billed greenfinch The slender-billed greenfinch ''("Carduelis" aurelioi)'' is an extinct songbird in the finch family Fringillidae. It was endemic to the island Tenerife in the Canary Islands, and became extinct after human settlement of the islands. Taxonomy T ...
, ''Chloris aurelioi'' (Tenerife, Canary Islands) ***
Trias greenfinch The Trias greenfinch (''Chloris triasi'') is an extinct passerine from the family of finches (Fringillidae). The fossil remains were unearthed in the Cuevas de los Murciélagos near San Andrés y Sauces in the north of La Palma, Canary Islands ...
, ''Chloris triasi'' (La Palma, Canary Islands) ***
Greater Azores bullfinch The greater Azores bullfinch (''Pyrrhula crassa'') was a large, extinct species of bullfinch in the family Fringillidae that was once endemic to the Azores. It is the first known extinct passerine to be described from the islands. It is the larg ...
, ''Pyrrhula crassa'' (Graciosa, Azores) ***
Kauaʻi finch The Kauai finch (''Telespiza persecutrix'') is an extinct bird in the genus ''Telespiza'' of the family Fringillidae. It was endemic to the Hawaiian islands of Kauai and Oahu. It is only known from fossil remains and likely became extinct befo ...
, ''Telespiza persecutrix'' (Kauaʻi and Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands) ***
Maui Nui finch The Maui Nui finch (''Telespiza ypsilon'') is an extinct member of the genus ''Telespiza'' in the family Fringillidae. It was endemic to the Hawaiian islands of Molokai and Maui. It is only known from fossil remains and likely became extinct b ...
, ''Telespiza ypsilon'' (Maui and Molokaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) *** Maui finch, ''Telespiza'' cf. ''ypsilon'' (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) *** Pila's palila, ''Loxioides kikuichi'' (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) – possibly survived until the early 18th century *** Scissor-billed koa-finch, ''Rhodacanthis forfex'' (Kauaʻi and Maui, Hawaiian Islands) ***
Primitive koa-finch The primitive koa finch (''Rhodacanthis litotes'') is an extinct species of Hawaiian honeycreeper in the subfamily Carduelinae of the family Fringillidae. It is known from fossils on the islands of Maui and Oʻahu in Hawaii. Description An adu ...
, ''Rhodacanthis litotes'' (Oʻahu and Maui, Hawaiian Islands) ***
Wahi grosbeak The wahi grosbeak or Oahu grosbeak (''Chloridops wahi'') is a Prehistory, prehistoric species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. The wahi grosbeak was Endemism, endemic to Hawaiian tropical dry forests, dry forests on the Hawaiian islands of Kauai, Kauai, ...
, ''Chloridops wahi'' (Oʻahu and Maui, Hawaiian Islands) *** King Kong grosbeak, ''Chloridops regiskongi'' (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands) *** Kauaʻi grosbeak, ''Chloridops'' sp. (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) – may be same as ''Chloridops wahi'' *** Maui grosbeak, ''Chloridops'' sp. (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) ***
Giant nukupu‘u In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: '' gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...
, ''Hemignathus vorpalis'' (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands) *** Giant ʻakialoa, ''Hemignathus'' sp. (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands) – sometimes in genus ''Akialoa'' ***
Hoopoe-billed ʻakialoa The hoopoe-billed ʻakialoa, (''Akialoa upupirostris''), is an extinct species of Hawaiian honeycreeper. Subfossil remains have been found of this species in the Hawaiian islands of Kauai and Oahu. The species specific name, ''upupirostris'', is ...
, ''Hemignathus upupirostris'' (Kauaʻi and Oʻahu) – sometimes in genus ''Akialoa'' *** ''Hemignathus aff. upupirostris'' (Maui) *** Stout-legged finch, ''Ciridops tenax'' (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) *** Molokaʻi ula-ai-hawane, ''Ciridops'' cf. ''anna'' (Molokaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) *** Oʻahu ula-ai-hawane, ''Ciridops'' sp. (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands) ** Placement unresolved *** Drepanidini gen. et sp. indet. (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) – at least 3 species *** Drepanidini gen. et sp. indet. (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands) *
Estrildidae Estrildidae, or estrildid finches, is a family of small seed-eating passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They comprise species commonly known as munias, mannikins, firefinches, parrotfinches and waxbills. Despite the word "fi ...
– waxbills ** Extinct species of extant genera *** Marianas parrotfinch, ''Erythrura'' sp. (Guam and Rota, Marianas) *
Emberizidae The buntings are a group of Old World passerine birds forming the genus ''Emberiza'', the only genus in the family Emberizidae. The family contains 45 species. They are seed-eating birds with stubby, conical bills. Taxonomy The family Emberizid ...
– Old World buntings ** Extinct species of extant genera ***
Long-legged bunting The long-legged bunting (''Emberiza alcoveri'') is an extinct flightless species of bunting. It was distinguishable by its long legs and short wings, and it inhabited Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands. It is one of the few flightless passeri ...
, ''Emberiza alcoveri'' (Tenerife, Canary Islands) *
Passerellidae New World sparrows are a group of mainly New World passerine birds, forming the family Passerellidae. They are seed-eating birds with conical bills, brown or gray in color, and many species have distinctive head patterns. Although they share t ...
– New World sparrows ** †''Pedinorhis'' *** Puerto Rican obscure bunting, ''Pedinorhis stirpsarcana'' (Puerto Rico, West Indies) *Icteridae - New World blackbirds, orioles, and grackles **†''Pandanaris'' *** Convex-billed cowbird, ''Pandanaris convexa'' (California & Florida south through Mexico to South America) **Extinct species of extant genera *** Large-billed blackbird, ''Euphagus magnirostris'' (California south to South America) ***
Talara cowbird Talara is a city in the Talara Province of the Piura Region, in northwestern Peru. It is a port city on the Pacific Ocean with a population of 91,444 as of 2017. Its climate is hot and dry. Due to its oil reserves, and ability to produce aviation ...
, ''Molothrus resinosus'' (Peru) ***
Talara troupial Talara is a city in the Talara Province of the Piura Region, in northwestern Peru. It is a port city on the Pacific Ocean with a population of 91,444 as of 2017. Its climate is hot and dry. Due to its oil reserves, and ability to produce aviation ...
, ''Icterus turmalis'' (Peru)


See also

*
List of extinct birds Around 129 species of birds have become extinct since 1500, and the rate of extinction seems to be increasing. The situation is exemplified by Hawaii, where 30% of all known recently extinct bird taxa originally lived. Other areas, such as Gua ...
*
Flightless birds Flightless birds are birds that through evolution lost the ability to fly. There are over 60 extant species, including the well known ratites (ostriches, emu, cassowaries, rheas, and kiwi) and penguins. The smallest flightless bird is the ...
*
Holocene extinction event The Holocene extinction, or Anthropocene extinction, is the ongoing extinction event during the Holocene epoch. The extinctions span numerous families of bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, ...
*
List of extinct animals This page features lists of extinct species, organisms that have become extinct, either in the wild or completely disappeared from Earth. In actual theoretical practice, a species not definitely located in the wild in the last fifty years of cur ...
*
Prehistoric life The history of life on Earth traces the processes by which living and fossil organisms evolved, from the earliest emergence of life to present day. Earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago (abbreviated as ''Ga'', for ''gigaannum'') and evide ...


References


Citations


General

* Steadman, David William (2006): ''Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds''.
University of Chicago Press The University of Chicago Press is the largest and one of the oldest university presses in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including ''The Chicago Manual of Style'', ...
. * Balouet, Jean-Christophe; Olson, Storrs L. (1989) ''Fossil birds from late Quaternary deposits in New Caledonia''. Washington, D. C. Smithsonian contributions to zoology; Nr. 469.
Smithsonian Institution Press The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
* Goodman, S.M. and Patterson, B.D. (1997) ''Natural Change and Human Impact in Madagascar''. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington and London. 432 S. * del Hoyo, J., Andrew Elliott, David Christie (2007) ''Handbook of the Birds of the World Volume 12 Picathartes to Tits and Chickadees, Lynx Edicions, 2007. * Turvey, Samuel T. (edit.) (2009) ''Holocene Extinctions''.
Oxford University Press Oxford University Press (OUP) is the university press of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world, and its printing history dates back to the 1480s. Having been officially granted the legal right to print books ...
. * Feduccia, Alan (1999) ''The Origin and Evolution of Birds''. 2nd. Edit.
Yale University Press Yale University Press is the university press of Yale University. It was founded in 1908 by George Parmly Day, and became an official department of Yale University in 1961, but it remains financially and operationally autonomous. , Yale Universi ...
. * *


External links


The Great New Zealand Eagle: The World's Biggest Eagle
By Neville Guthrie {{DEFAULTSORT:Late Quaternary Prehistoric Birds Birds Quaternary Late Quaternary birds