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List of Late Quaternary prehistoric bird species facts for kids

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Ancient Birds: Giants of the Past

Imagine a time when huge, flightless birds roamed the Earth, long before recorded history began! These amazing creatures are called Late Quaternary prehistoric birds. They lived and then became extinct during a period called the Late Quaternary, which includes the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene epochs. This means they disappeared between about 40,000 BC and AD 1500. Scientists never got to study them alive because they died out before the great age of global exploration and scientific discovery started in the late 1400s.

Giant Haasts eagle attacking New Zealand moa
An artist's idea of a giant Haast's eagle hunting two South Island giant moa in ancient New Zealand.

We know about these birds from their remains, which are called subfossils. Unlike full fossils, subfossils still have some original material, which can even contain DNA! This DNA helps scientists figure out how these ancient birds are related to birds living today. Sometimes, we also learn about them from old stories passed down through generations, like the tales of the mighty Haast's eagle in New Zealand.

Many of these birds disappeared when humans started spreading out from Africa and Eurasia. Sadly, human activities often played a big part in their extinction. This could be from hunting, or from new animals (like rats, dogs, cats, or pigs) that humans brought with them. Changing habitats also caused problems. A lot of these extinct birds lived on islands, especially in Polynesia. Birds on islands are often very vulnerable because they evolved without many mammal predators. This means they weren't good at avoiding dangers. Many, especially rails, even lost their ability to fly, making them even easier prey.

Birds that went extinct before this time usually died out due to natural events like meteor impacts, big climate changes, or huge volcanic eruptions. Sometimes, new species evolved and took over their place. For example, long ago, there were many more types of seabirds than today. This changed when marine mammals, like whales and dolphins, became more common and competed for food.

Many extinct birds were larger than today's birds, lived mostly on islands, and were often flightless. These features made them especially sensitive to human activities and the changes humans brought to their environments.

Meet the Ancient Birds: A List of Extinct Species

All the birds on this list belong to a group called Neornithes, which includes all modern birds.

Paleognathes: Ancient Birds

This group includes ostriches, emus, and the famous moa and elephant birds.

Struthioniformes: The Ostriches

  • Struthionidae – Ostriches
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • East Asian ostrich, Struthio anderssoni (China)
      • Asian ostrich, Struthio asiaticus (Central Asia to China)

†Aepyornithiformes: Elephant Birds

These were giant birds from Madagascar.

  • †Aepyornithidae - Greater elephant birds
    • †Aepyornis
      • Giant elephant bird, Aepyornis maximus
      • Hildebrandt's elephant bird, Aepyornis hildebrandti
  • †Mullerornithidae - Lesser elephant birds
    • †Mullerornis
      • Lesser elephant bird, Mullerornis modestus

†Dinornithiformes: The Moa

These amazing birds lived in New Zealand.

†Gastornithiformes: Giant Fowl

This group includes huge, flightless birds.

Anseriformes: Ducks, Geese, and Swans

This group includes modern ducks and geese.

  • Anatidae – Ducks, geese, and swans
    • †Cnemiornis
      • South Island goose, Cnemiornis calcitrans (South Island, New Zealand)
      • North Island goose, Cnemiornis gracilis (North Island, New Zealand)
    • †Chendytes
      • Chendytes lawi (California and southern Oregon coasts)
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Scarlett's duck, Malacorhynchus scarletti (New Zealand)
      • Giant Hawaiʻi goose, Branta rhuax (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands)
      • Giant swan, Cygnus falconeri (Malta, Sicily)
      • New Zealand swan, Cygnus sumnerensis (New Zealand and Chatham Islands)
      • Finsch's duck, Chenonetta finschi (New Zealand)

Pangalliformes: Chickens and Quails

This group includes modern chickens and quails.

  • †Sylviornithidae – New Caledonian giant megapodes
    • †Sylviornis
      • Sylviornis neocaledoniae (New Caledonia)
  • Megapodidae – Megapodes (large-footed birds)
    • †Progura
      • Giant malleefowl, Progura gallinacea (Australia)
  • Phasianidae – Pheasants and allies
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Canary Islands quail, Coturnix gomerae (Canary Islands)
      • Californian turkey, Meleagris californica (California, North America)

Charadriiformes: Gulls, Auks, and Shorebirds

  • Scolopacidae – Waders and snipes
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Forbes's snipe, Coenocorypha chathamensis (Chatham Islands)
  • Alcidae – Auks
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Dow's puffin, Fratercula dowi (Channel Islands, East Pacific)
  • Laridae – Gulls
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Huahine gull, Chroicocephalus utunui (Huahine, Society Islands)

Gruiformes: Rails and Cranes

  • Rallidae – Rails
    • †Nesotrochis
      • Antillean cave rail, Nesotrochis debooyi (Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands)
      • Cuban cave rail, Nesotrochis picapicensis (Cuba)
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • New Caledonian gallinule, Porphyrio kukwiedei (New Caledonia)
      • North Island takahē, Porphyrio mantelli (North Island, New Zealand)
      • Ibiza rail, Rallus eivissensis (Ibiza, Mediterranean)
      • Niue rail, Gallirallus huiatua (Niue, Cook Islands)
      • Hodgens' waterhen, Tribonyx hodgenorum (New Zealand)
      • New Zealand coot, Fulica prisca (New Zealand)
  • Gruidae – Cranes
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Cuban flightless crane, Antigone cubensis (Cuba)
  • †Aptornithidae – Adzebills

Eurypygiformes: Kagus

  • Rhynochetidae – Kagus
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Lowland kagu, Rhynochetos orarius (New Caledonia)

Procellariiformes: Albatrosses, Shearwaters, Petrels

Sphenisciformes: Penguins

Ciconiiformes: Storks

  • Ciconiidae – Storks
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Leptoptilos robustus (Flores, Indonesia)
      • Asphalt stork, Ciconia maltha (western and southern U.S.)

Suliformes: Boobies, Gannets, Cormorants

  • Phalacrocoracidae – Cormorants and shags
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Kohatu shag, Leucocarbo septentrionalis (North Island, New Zealand)

Pelecaniformes: Herons and Ibises

  • Ardeidae – Herons
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Bennu heron, Ardea bennuides (United Arab Emirates)
      • Niue night heron, Nycticorax kalavikai (Niue)
  • Threskiornithidae – Ibises
    • †Apteribis
      • Maui highland ibis, Apteribis brevis (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
      • Molokaʻi ibis, Apteribis glenos (Molokaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
    • †Xenicibis
      • Jamaican ibis, Xenicibis xympithecus (Jamaica)

Cathartiformes: Vultures

  • †Teratornithidae – Teratorns (huge flying birds)
    • †Teratornis
      • Merriam's teratorn, Teratornis merriami (southwestern and southeastern U.S.)
    • †Oscaravis
      • Cuban teratorn, Oscaravis olsoni (Cuba)
  • Cathartidae – New World vultures
    • †Breagyps
      • La Brea condor, Breagyps clarki (southwestern U.S.)
    • Extinct species of living groups

Phoenicopteriformes: Flamingos

  • Phoenicopteridae - Flamingos
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Phoenicopterus copei (Late Pleistocene of W North America and C Mexico)

Columbiformes: Doves and Pigeons

  • Columbidae – Doves and pigeons
    • †Dysmoropelia
    • †Natunaornis
      • Viti Levu giant pigeon, Natunaornis gigoura (Viti Levu, Fiji)
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Puerto Rican quail-dove, Geotrygon larva (Puerto Rico)
      • Great ground dove, Pampusana nui (Marquesas and Cook Islands)
      • Tongan tooth-billed pigeon, Didunculus placopedetes (Tonga)
      • Kanaka pigeon, Caloenas canacorum (New Caledonia, Tonga)
      • Henderson imperial pigeon, Ducula harrisoni (Henderson Island)

Cuculiformes: Cuckoos

  • Cuculidae – Cuckoos
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Ancient coua, Coua primaeva (Madagascar)

Accipitriformes: Birds of Prey

  • Accipitridae – Hawks and eagles
    • †Bermuteo
      • Bermuda hawk, Bermuteo avivorus (Bermuda)
    • †Gigantohierax
      • Gigantohierax suarezi (Cuba)
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Powerful goshawk, Accipiter efficax (New Caledonia)
      • Eyles's harrier, Circus teauteensis (New Zealand)
      • Haast's eagle, Hieraeetus moorei (South Island, New Zealand)
      • Hawaiian eagle, Haliaeetus sp. (Main Hawaiian Islands)
      • Malagasy crowned eagle, Stephanoaetus mahery (Madagascar)

Caprimulgiformes: Nightjars

Aegotheliformes: Owlet-Nightjars

Apodiformes: Swifts

  • Apodidae – Swifts
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Mangaia swiftlet, Aerodramus manuoi (Mangaia, Cook Islands)

Bucerotiformes: Hornbills

  • Bucerotidae – Hornbills
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Lifou hornbill, Rhyticeros sp. (Lifou, Loyalty Islands)

Piciformes: Woodpeckers

  • Picidae – Woodpeckers
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Bermuda flicker, Colaptes oceanicus (Bermuda)

Coraciiformes: Rollers

  • Brachypteraciidae – Ground rollers
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Ampoza ground roller, Brachypteracias lagrandi (Madagascar)

Strigiformes: Owls

  • Strigidae – Typical owls
    • †Grallistrix (Stilt-owls)
      • [[Kauaʻi stilt-owl]], Grallistrix auceps (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
      • Maui stilt-owl, Grallistrix erdmani (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
    • †Ornimegalonyx
      • Cuban giant owl, Ornimegalonyx oteroi (Cuba)
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Cretan owl, Athene cretensis (Crete)
      • Madeiran scops owl (Otus mauli) (Madeira)
  • Tytonidae – Barn owls
    • Extinct species of living groups

Falconiformes: Falcons

  • Falconidae – Falcons
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Puerto Rican caracara, Caracara latebrosus (Puerto Rico)
      • La Brea caracara, Caracara prelutosa (California)
      • Cuban kestrel, Falco kurochkini (Cuba)

Psittaciformes: Parrots

  • Strigopidae – Kakas and kakapos
    • Extinct species of living groups
  • Cacatuidae – Cockatoos
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • New Caledonian cockatoo, Cacatua sp. (New Caledonia)
  • Psittacidae – Parrots, parakeets, and lorikeets
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Saint Croix macaw, Ara autocthones (St. Croix)
      • Oceanic eclectus, Eclectus infectus (Tonga, Vanuatu)
      • Conquered lorikeet, Vini vidivici (Mangaia, Cook Islands, and Marquesas)

Passeriformes: Perching Birds

This is the largest group of birds, including many familiar songbirds.

  • Acanthisittidae – New Zealand wrens
  • Corvidae – Crows, ravens, jays, and magpies
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • High-billed crow, Corvus impluviatus (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
      • New Zealand raven, Corvus antipodum (New Zealand)
      • Chatham raven, Corvus moriorum (Chatham Islands)
  • Sturnidae – Starlings
    • †Cryptopsar
      • Mauritius starling, Cryptopsar ischyrhynchus (Mauritius)
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Huahine starling, Aplonis diluvialis (Huahine, Society Islands)
  • Turdidae – Thrushes
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • [[Olomaʻo]], Myadestes lanaiensis (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
  • Mohoidae – Hawaiian honeyeaters
    • Prehistorically extinct species of recently extinct groups
      • [[Oʻahu kioea]], Chaetoptila cf. angustipluma (Oʻahu and Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
  • Fringillidae – True finches and Hawaiian honeycreepers
    • †Orthiospiza
    • †Xestospiza
      • Cone-billed finch, Xestospiza conica (Kauaʻi and Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
    • Prehistorically extinct species of living and recently extinct groups
      • Slender-billed greenfinch, Chloris aurelioi (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
      • Greater Azores bullfinch, Pyrrhula crassa (Graciosa, Azores)
      • Scissor-billed koa finch, Rhodacanthis forfex (Kauaʻi and Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
      • King Kong grosbeak, Chloridops regiskongi (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
      • [[Giant nukupuʻu]], Hemignathus vorpalis (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands)
  • Estrildidae – Waxbills
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Marianas parrotfinch, Erythrura sp. (Guam and Rota, Marianas)
  • Emberizidae – Old World buntings
    • Extinct species of living groups
  • Passerellidae – New World sparrows
    • †Pedinorhis
      • Puerto Rican obscure bunting, Pedinorhis stirpsarcana (Puerto Rico)
  • Icteridae - New World blackbirds, orioles and grackles
    • Extinct species of living groups
      • Large-billed blackbird, Euphagus magnirostris (California south to South America)

See also

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List of Late Quaternary prehistoric bird species Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.