List of Late Quaternary prehistoric bird species

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Late Quaternary prehistoric birds are avian taxa that became extinct during the Late Quaternary – the Holocene or Late Pleistocene – and before recorded history, 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" is any member of the clade Neornithes, that is, any descendant of the most recent common ancestor of all currently living birds.

Artist's rendition of a giant Haast's eagle attacking New Zealand moa.

The birds are known from their remains, which are subfossil (not fossilized, or not completely fossilized). Some are also known from folk memory, as in the case of Haast's eagle in New Zealand. As the remains are not completely fossilized, they may yield organic material for molecular analyses to provide additional clues for resolving their taxonomic affiliations.

The extinction of the taxa in this list was coincident with the expansion of Homo sapiens beyond Africa and Eurasia, and in most cases, anthropogenic factors have played a crucial part in their extinction, be it through hunting, introduced predators or habitat alteration. It is notable that a large proportion of the species are from oceanic islands, especially in Polynesia. 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 mammalian predators, and therefore have only rudimentary predator avoidance behavior. Many, especially rails, have additionally become flightless 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 impacts, climate changes, mass volcanic eruptions etc. Alternatively, species may have gone extinct due to evolutionary displacement by successor or competitor taxa – it is notable for example that in the early Neogene, seabird biodiversity was much higher than today; this is probably due to competition by the radiation of marine mammals 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 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.^[1]

Taxonomic list of Late Quaternary prehistoric birds[]

All of these are Neornithes.

Struthioniformes[]

The ostrich and related ratites.

• †Aepyornithidae Bonaparte 1853 – elephant birds
  • †Mullerornis Milne-Edwards & Grandidier 1894
    • †M. modestus (Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, 1869) Hansford & Turvey 2018
  • †Aepyornis St. Hilaire 1850
    • †A. maximus St. Hilaire 1851 [Aepyornis modestus Milne-Edwards & Grandidier 1869; Aepyornis ingens Milne-Edwards & Grandidier 1894; Andrews 1894; (Andrews 1894); (St. Hilaire 1851)] (Giant Elephant-Bird)
    • †A. hildebrandti Burckhardt 1893 [ Milne-Edwards & Grandidier 1894; (Burckhardt 1893); ] (Hildebrandt's Elephant-Bird)
  • †Vorombe Hansford & Turvey 2018
    • †Vorombe titan Andrews 1894 [ 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
    • Crested moa, Pachyornis australis (western South Island, New Zealand)
    • Heavy-footed moa, Pachyornis elephantopus (eastern South Island, New Zealand)
    • Mappin's moa, Pachyornis mappini (North Island, New Zealand) (syn.Pachyornis geranoides)
  • Emeus
    • Eastern moa, Emeus crassus (South Island, New Zealand)
• †Dinornithidae – moa
  • Dinornis
    • North Island giant moa, Dinornis novaezealandiae (North Island, New Zealand)
    • South Island giant moa, Dinornis robustus (South Island, New Zealand)
• †Megalapterygidae – moa
  • Megalapteryx
    • Megalapteryx, Megalapteryx didinus (South Island, New Zealand) – may have survived until historic times (syn.Megalapteryx benhami)
• Struthionidae – ostriches
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Asian ostrich, Struthio asiaticus (Central Asia to China)^[2]
• Apterygidae – kiwi
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • , 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 – The Australian mihirungs or "demon ducks"
  • †Genyornis
    • Genyornis newtoni (Australia)^[3]

Anseriformes[]

The group that 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)
  • †Centrornis
    • Malagasy sheldgoose, Centrornis majori (Madagascar) (syn.Alopochen)
  • †Chelychelynechen
    • Turtle-jawed moa-nalo, Chelychelynechen quassus (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
  • †Ptaiochen
    • Small-billed moa-nalo, Ptaiochen pau (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
  • †Thambetochen
    • Maui Nui large-billed moa-nalo, Thambetochen chauliodous (Maui and Moloka‘i, Hawaiian Islands)
    • O'ahu large-billed moa-nalo, Thambetochen xanion (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
  • †Chendytes
    • Chendytes lawi (California and Southern Oregon Coasts and Channel Islands, E Pacific)
  • †Talpanas
    • Kaua'i mole duck, Talpanas lippa (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • , Dendrocygna sp. (Aitutaki, Cook Islands)
    • Nēnē-nui, Branta hylobadistes (Maui, possibly Kauaʻi and Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
    • Branta rhuax (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands) (formerly in monotypic genus Geochen) Synonym: giant Hawai'i goose, Branta sp. (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Tadorna cf. variegata (Chatham Islands, SW Pacific)
    • Malagasy shelduck, Alopochen sirabensis (Madagascar)
    • Scarlett's duck, Malacorhynchus scarletti (New Zealand)
    • Finsch's duck, Chenonetta finschi (New Zealand; possibly survived to 1870)
    • Bermuda flightless duck, Anas pachyscelus (Bermuda, W Atlantic)
    • , Anas cf. chlorotis (Macquarie Islands, SW Pacific)
    • Chatham Island duck, Anas chathamica (Chatham Islands, SW Pacific)^[4]
    • Anser djuktaiensis (Yakutia, Russia)
    • Chatham Island merganser, Mergus milleneri (Chatham Islands, SW Pacific)
    • New Zealand stiff-tailed duck, Oxyura vantetsi (North Island, New Zealand)
    • New Zealand musk duck, Biziura delautouri (New Zealand)
    • , Cygnus chathamicus (Chatham Islands)
    • Cygnus falconeri (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 (Barbados)
    • Extinct subspecies of extant species
      • , Anas chlorotis ssp. nov. (Chatham Islands, SW Pacific)
  • Placement unresolved
    • , Anatidae sp. et gen. indet. (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
    • ", Anatidae sp. et gen. indet. (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Anatidae sp. et gen. indet. (Rota, Marianas)

Pangalliformes[]

The group that includes modern chickens and quails.

• †Sylviornithidae – The Sylviornis or New Caledonian giant megapode
  • †Megavitiornis
    • Noble megapode or deep-billed megapode, Megavitiornis altirostris (Viti Levu, Fiji)
  • †Sylviornis
    • Sylviornis, Sylviornis neocaledoniae (New Caledonia, Melanesia)

True Galliformes

• Megapodidae – megapodes
  • †Mwalau
    • Mwalau walterlinii (Efate, Vanuatu)
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Consumed scrubfowl, Megapodius alimentum (Tonga and Fiji)
    • Lost megapode or Viti Levu scrubfowl, Megapodius amissus (Viti Levu and possibly Kadavu and Aiwa, Fiji) – may have survived to the early 19th or the 20th century.
    • Pile-builder megapode, Megapodus molistructor (New Caledonia, Tonga and possibly Aiwa, Fiji)
    • ' or , Megapodius sp. (ʻEua, Tonga)
    • , Megapodius sp. (Lifuka, Tonga)^{[verification needed]}
    • Megapodius sp. (Tongatapu, Tonga)
    • Megapodius sp. (Ofu, Samoa)
    • Megapodius sp. (Buka Island, Solomon Islands)
    • Megapodius sp. (, New Caledonia)
    • Megapodius sp. (Lifou and Maré, Loyalty Islands)
    • or , Megapodius sp. (New Ireland, Melanesia)
    • Leipoa gallinacea (Progura gallinacea and Progura naracoortensis are synonyms) (Australia)
• Phasianidae – pheasants and allies
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Canary Islands quail, Coturnix gomerae (Canary Islands, East Atlantic)
    • (Coturnix alabrevis) (Madeira, East Atlantic)
    • (Coturnix centensis) (Cape Verde, East Atlantic)
    • (Coturnix lignorum) (Madeira, East Atlantic)
    • Californian turkey, Meleagris californica (California, North America)

Charadriiformes[]

Gulls, auks, shorebirds

• Laridae – gulls
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Huahine gull or Society Islands gull, Larus utunui (Huahine, Society Islands)
    • , Larus sp. (Kaua'i, Hawaiian Islands)
    • Larus sp. (Saint Helena, Atlantic) – may be extant form
• Charadriidae – lapwings and plovers
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Malagasy lapwing, Vanellus madagascariensis (Madagascar)
• Alcidae – auks
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Dow's puffin, Fratercula dowi (Channel Islands, E Pacific)^[5]
• Scolopacidae – waders and snipes
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • , Prosobonia sp. (Henderson Island, S Pacific)
    • , Prosobonia sp. (Mangaia, Cook Islands)
    • , Prosobonia sp. (Ua Huka, Marquesas Islands)
    • Forbes' snipe, Coenocorypha chathamensis (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific)
    • Viti Levu snipe, Coenocorypha miratropica (Viti Levu, Fiji)
    • New Caledonia snipe, Coenocorypha neocaledonica (New Caledonia, Melanesia)
    • , Coenocorypha sp. (Norfolk Island, Southwest Pacific)
    • Gallinago kakuki (Cuba, Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, West Indies)
    • Scolopax anthonyi (Puerto Rico, West Indies)
    • Scolopax brachycarpa (Hispaniola, West Indies) – may have survived into historic times

Gruiformes[]

The group that includes modern rails and cranes.

• Rallidae – rails
  • †Capellirallus (syn.Gallirallus)
    • Snipe-rail, Capellirallus karamu (North Island, New Zealand)
  • †Vitirallus (syn.Gallirallus)
    • Viti Levu rail, Vitirallus watlingi (Viti Levu, Fiji)
  • †Hovacrex (syn.Gallinula)
    • Hova gallinule, Hovacrex roberti (Madagascar)
  • †Nesotrochis
    • Antillean cave-rail, Nesotrochis debooyi (Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands, West Indies) – may have survived until historic times
    • , Nesotrochis steganinos (Haiti, West Indies)
    • , Nesotrochis picapicensis (Cuba, West Indies)
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • New Caledonian swamphen, Porphyrio kukwiedei (New Caledonia, Melanesia) – may have survived into historic times
    • North Island takahē, Porphyrio mantelli (North Island, New Zealand)
    • Huahine swamphen, Porphyrio mcnabi (Huahine, Society Islands)
    • Marquesas swamphen, Porphyrio paepae (Hiva Oa and Tahuata, Marquesas) – may have survived to the late 19th century
    • , Porphyrio sp. (Buka, Solomon Islands)
    • , Porphyrio sp. (New Ireland, Melanesia)
    • , Porphyrio sp. (Mangaia, Cook Islands) (not to genus Pareudiastes)
    • , Porphyrio sp. (New Ireland, Melanesia)
    • , Porphyrio sp. (Norfolk Island, Southwest Pacific)
    • , Porphyrio sp. (Rota, Marianas)
    • (Chile)
    • Ibiza rail, Rallus eivissensis (Ibiza, Mediterranean)
    • , Rallus lowei (Madeira, Macaronesia)
    • , Rallus adolfocaesaris (Porto Santo Island, Macaronesia)
    • Rallus sp. (known from subfossil remains found on Madeira and Porto Santo Island).
    • , Rallus carvaoensis (São Miguel Island, Azores)
    • , Rallus montivagorum (Pico Island, Azores)
    • , Rallus nanus (erroneously previously described as Rallus minutus which is a junior homonym) (São Jorge Island, Azores)
    • , Rallus sp. (Graciosa, Azores)
    • , Rallus sp. (Terceira, Azores)
    • , Rallus sp. (Santa Maria Island, Azores)
    • , Gallirallus sp. (Lifuka, Tonga)
    • Nuku Hiva rail, Gallirallus epulare (Nuku Hiva, Marquesas)
    • Ua Huka rail, Gallirallus gracilitibia (Ua Huka, Marquesas)
    • Niue rail, Gallirallus huiatua (Niue, Cook Islands)
    • Mangaia rail, Gallirallus ripleyi (Mangaia, Cook Islands)
    • Tahuata rail, Gallirallus roletti (Tahuata, Marquesas)
    • Huahine rail, Gallirallus storrsolsoni (Huahine, Society Islands)
    • , Gallirallus sp. (Marquesas, Pacific)
    • 'Eua rail, Gallirallus vekamatolu ('Eua, Tonga)
    • , Gallirallus temptatus (Rota, Marianas, West Pacific)
    • , Gallirallus pisonii (Aguiguan, Marianas, West Pacific)
    • , Gallirallus pendiculentus (Tinian, Marianas, West Pacific)
    • , Gallirallus sp. (Saipan, Marianas, West Pacific)
    • , Gallirallus ernstmayri (New Ireland, Melanesia)
    • , Gallirallus sp. (Norfolk Island, Southwest Pacific) – may have survived to the 19th century
    • Great O‘ahu crake, Porzana ralphorum (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
    • Great Maui crake, Porzana severnsi (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
    • Mangaia crake, Porzana rua (Mangaia, Cook Islands)
    • , Porzana menehune (Moloka'i, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Porzana ziegleri (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Porzana keplerorum (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Porzana sp. (Easter Island, Southeast Pacific)
    • , Porzana sp. (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Porzana sp. (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Porzana sp. (Huahine, Society Islands)
    • Mangaia crake #2, Porzana sp. (Mangaia, Cook Islands)
    • , Porzana sp. (Ua Huka, Marquesas)
    • , Porzana sp. (Marianas, West Pacific) – possibly 4 species
    • , Porzana sp. (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Porzana sp. (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Porzana sp. (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands)
    • Hodgen's waterhen, Gallinula hodgenorum (New Zealand)
    • , ?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, Fulica chathamensis (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific)
    • New Zealand coot, Fulica prisca (New Zealand)
    • , Hypotaenidia vavauensis (Vava'u, Tonga)
  • Placement unresolved
    • Barbados rail, Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. (Barbados, West Indies) – formerly Fulica podagrica (partim)
    • , Rallidae gen. et sp. indet. (Easter Island)
    • , 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)^[6][7]
• †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 – kagus
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Lowland kagu, Rhynochetos orarius (New Caledonia, Melanesia)

Ciconiiformes[]

• Ciconiidae – storks
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Leptoptilos robustus (Flores, Indonesia)
    • Ciconia maltha (western and southern US)
    • (Cuba)

Pelecaniformes[]

• Ardeidae – herons
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Bennu heron, Ardea bennuides (United Arab Emirates)
    • ', Nycticorax sp. ('Eua, Tonga)
    • , Nycticorax sp. (Lifuka, Tonga) – may be same as ‘Eua species
    • Niue night heron, Nycticorax kalavikai (Niue)
    • , Nycticorax sp. (Mangaia, Cook Islands)
  • Placement unresolved
    • Ardeidae gen. et sp. indet. (Easter Island, E Pacific)
• Threskiornithidae – ibises
  • †Apteribis
    • Maui flightless ibis, Apteribis brevis (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)^{[8]: 23–28}
    • Moloka'i flightless ibis, Apteribis glenos (Moloka'i, Hawaiian Islands)^{[8]: 22–23}
    • Maui lowland apteribis, Apteribis sp. (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
  • †Xenicibis
    • Jamaican flightless ibis, Xenicibis xympithecus (Jamaica, West Indies)

Cathartiformes[]

• †Teratornithidae – teratorns
  • †Teratornis
    • Merriam's teratorn, Teratornis merriami (southwest and south US)
  • †Oscaravis
    • Cuban teratorn, Oscaravis olsoni (Cuba)
• Cathartidae – New World vultures
  • †
    • † imperator (Argentina)
  • †Wingegyps
    • † (Brazil)
  • †Pleistovultur
    • † (Brazil)
  • †
    • † (Peru and Argentina)
  • †Breagyps
    • †Breagyps clarki (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 and cormorants.

• Phalacrocoracidae – cormorants and shags
  • Extinct species of extant genus
    • Serventy's cormorant, Microcarbo serventyorum (Western Australia)^[9]
    • , Phalacrocorax sp. (Madagascar)
    • , Leucocarbo septentrionalis (North Island, New Zealand)^[10]
• Sulidae – gannets and boobies
  • Extinct subspecies of extant species
    • , Papasula abbotti costelloi (Ua Huka, Marquesas)

Phoenicopteriformes[]

The group that includes modern flamingos

• Phoenicopteridae - flamingos
  • Phoenicopterus copei (Late Pleistocene of W North America and C Mexico)
  • Phoenicopterus minutus (Late Pleistocene of California, US)

Procellariiformes[]

The group that includes modern albatrosses, petrels and storm petrels.

• Procellariidae – petrels
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Dune shearwater or Hole's shearwater, Puffinus holeae (Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, and Atlantic coast of Iberian peninsula)
    • Lava shearwater 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)
    • , Puffinus sp. (Menorca, Balearic Islands) – possibly extirpated population of extant species
    • ' Puffinus sp ('Eua, Tonga)
    • O'ahu petrel, Pterodroma jugabilis (O'ahu, Hawaiian Islands)^{[8]: 17–22}
    • ' Puffinus sp ('Eua, Tonga)
    • , Pterodroma sp. (El Hierro, Canary Islands) – possibly extirpated population of extant species
    • Pterodroma sp. (Chatham Islands, SW Pacific)
    • Pterodroma sp. (Henderson Island, S Pacific)
    • , Pterodroma sp. (Rodrigues)
    • Pseudobulweria sp. (Taravai, Angakauitai, Mangareva)
    • Pterodroma sp. (Norfolk Island)
  • Placement unresolved
    • Procellariidae sp. (Easter Island, East Pacific) – possibly extirpated population of extant species

Sphenisciformes[]

• Spheniscidae – penguins
  • † Tasidyptes
    • Hunter Island penguin Tasidyptes hunteri (Hunter Island, Tasmania)
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Chatham penguin, Eudyptes warhami (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific) – possibly still extant in 1867
    • Waitaha penguin, Megadyptes waitaha (South Island and Stewart Island, New Zealand)^[11]

Columbiformes[]

• Columbidae – doves and pigeons
  • †Dysmoropelia
    • Saint Helena dove, Dysmoropelia dekarchiskos (Saint Helena, Atlantic) – known from Pleistocene bones but might have persisted until the 16th century
  • †Natunaornis
    • Viti Levu giant pigeon, Natunaornis gigoura (Viti Levu, Fiji)
  • †Bountyphaps
    • Henderson Island archaic pigeon, Bountyphaps obsoleta (Henderson Island, S Pacific)
  • †Tongoenas
    • Tongan giant pigeon, Tongoenas burleyi (Tonga)
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Huahine cuckoo-dove, Macropygia arevarevauupa (Huahine, Society Islands)
    • Marquesan cuckoo-dove, Macropygia heana (Marquesas, Pacific)
    • Puerto Rican quail-dove, Geotrygon larva (Puerto Rico, West Indies)
    • Great ground-dove, Gallicolumba nui (Marquesas and Cook Islands)
    • Henderson ground dove, Gallicolumba leonpascoi (Henderson Island, S Pacific)
    • New Caledonian ground-dove, Gallicolumba longitarsus (New Caledonia)
    • , Gallicolumba sp. (Huahine, Society Islands) – G. nui?
    • , Gallicolumba sp. (Mangaia, Cook Islands) – G. nui?
    • , Gallicolumba sp. (Rota, Marianas)
    • , Didunculus placopedetes (Tonga, Pacific)
    • Kanaka pigeon, Caloenas canacorum (New Caledonia, Tonga)
    • Henderson imperial pigeon, Ducula harrisoni (Henderson Island, S Pacific)
    • , Ducula lakeba (Lakeba, Fiji)
    • , Ducula david ('Eua, Tonga, and Wallis Island)
    • , Ducula sp. ('Eua, Foa and Lifuka, Tonga) – may be D. david, D. lakeba or new species
    • , 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
    • , Ptilinopus sp. (Tubuai, Austral Islands)
    • (Malta)

Mesitornithiformes[]

• Mesitornithidae – 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 cockatoos
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • , Cacatua sp. (New Caledonia)
    • , Cacatua sp. (New Ireland)
• Psittacidae – parrots, parakeets, and lorikeets
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Saint Croix macaw, Ara autocthones (Saint Croix, West Indies)
    • Oceanic eclectus parrot, Eclectus infectus (Tonga, Vanuatu, possibly Fiji) – may have survived to the 18th century or even longer.
    • Sinoto's lorikeet, Vini sinotoi (Marquesas, Pacific)
    • Conquered lorikeet, Vini vidivici (Mangaia, Cook Islands, and Marqesas)
    • , Cyanoramphus sp. (Campbell Island, New Zealand)
  • Extinct subspecies of an extant species
    • (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
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • , Urodynamis cf. taitensis
    • Ancient coua, Coua primaeva (Madagascar)
    • Bertha's coua, Coua berthae (Madagascar)
    • Extinct subspecies of extant species
      • , Geococcyx californianus conklingi (Inland SW North America)

Accipitriformes[]

Birds of prey

• Accipitridae – hawks and eagles
  • †Bermuteo
    • Bermuda hawk, Bermuteo avivorus (Bermuda, W Atlantic)
  • †Amplibuteo
    • Woodward's eagle, Amplibuteo woodwardi (Caribbean and North America)
  • †
    • , Gigantohierax suarezi (Cuba, West Indies)
  • †Titanohierax
    • , Titanohierax gloveralleni (Bahamas, West Indies)
    • , Titanohierax sp. (Hispaniola, West Indies)
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Powerful goshawk, Accipiter efficax (New Caledonia, Melanesia)^[12]
    • Gracile goshawk, Accipiter quartus (New Caledonia, Melanesia)^[12]
    • Accipiter sp. 1 (New Ireland, Melanesia)
    • Accipiter sp. 2 (New Ireland, Melanesia) – one of the two New Ireland species may be Meyer's goshawk
    • Aquila sp. "large" (Madagascar)
    • Aquila sp. "small" (Madagascar)
    • Borras' eagle-hawk, Buteogallus borrasi (Cuba, West Indies)^[13] – formerly in Aquila/Titanohierax
    • Wood harrier, Circus dossenus (Moloka‘i, Hawaiian Islands)
    • Eyles' harrier, Circus eylesi (New Zealand) (The Forbes' harrier, Circus teauteensis, is considered as synonym of the Eyles' harrier by some authors)
    • Haast's eagle, Harpagornis moorei (South Island, New Zealand)
    • A subfossil sea eagle (Haliaeetus) from Maui may be a valid species or subspecies; another one listed from the Chatham Islands is in error.
    • Malagasy crowned eagle, Stephanoaetus mahery (Madagascar)^[14]
  • Extinct subspecies of extant species
    • Aquila chrysaetos simurgh (Crete) (sometimes considered as full species)

Falconiformes[]

• Falconidae – falcons
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Bahaman caracara, Caracara creightoni (Bahamas and Cuba, West Indies) – may be same as C. latebrosus
    • , Caracara latebrosus (Puerto Rico, West Indies)
    • Caracara major (Venezuela)
    • Caracara seymouri (Peru, Ecuador)
    • Jamaican caracara, Caracara tellustris (Jamaica, West Indies)^[15]
    • , Milvago carbo (Cuba, West Indies)
    • ?Milvago sp. (Jamaica, West Indies)
    • Cuban kestrel, Falco kurochkini (Cuba, West Indies) – may have survived to the 17th century
    • (Falkland Islands)

Caprimulgiformes[]

Nightjars and potoos

• Caprimulgidae – nightjars
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Cuban pauraque, Siphonorhis daiquiri (Cuba, West Indies)^[16] }} – possibly extant

Aegotheliformes[]

Owlet-nightjars

• Aegothelidae
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • New Zealand owlet-nightjar, Aegotheles novaezealandiae (New Zealand)^[17] – formerly Megaegotheles

Apodiformes[]

Swifts and hummingbirds.

• Apodidae – swifts
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Mangaia swiftlet, Aerodramus manuoi (Mangaia, Cook Islands)^[18] – formerly Collocalia

Bucerotiformes[]

Hornbills and relatives. Formerly included in Coraciiformes.

• Bucerotidae – hornbills
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • , Rhyticeros ("Aceros") sp. (Lifou, Loyalty Islands)

Piciformes[]

Woodpeckers, puffbird and jacamars.

• Picidae – woodpeckers
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Bermuda flicker, Colaptes oceanicus (Bermuda, known from Pleistocene bones, but might have persisted until the Holocene)^[19]

Coraciiformes[]

• Brachypteraciidae – ground rollers
  • Brachypteracias
    • Ampoza ground roller, Brachypteracias lagrandi (Madagascar)^[20]

Strigiformes[]

Owls and barn owls.

• Strigidae – typical owls
  • †Grallistrix
    • , Grallistrix auceps (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Grallistrix erdmani (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Grallistrix geleches (Molokaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Grallistrix orion (O'ahu, Hawaiian Islands)
  • †Ornimegalonyx
    • Cuban giant owl, Ornimegalonxy oteroi (Cuba, West Indies)
    • Ornimegalonyx sp. – probably subspecies of O. oteroi
  • †Asphaltoglaux
    • Asphalt miniature owl, Asphaltoglaux cecileae
  • †Oraristrix
    • La Brea owl, Oraristrix brea
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • , Bubo osvaldoi (Cuba, West Indies)^{[verification needed]}
    • Cretan owl, Athene cretensis (Crete, Mediterranean)
    • , Ninox cf. novaeseelandiae (New Caledonia, Melanesia) – possibly extant
    • Madeiran scops owl (Otus mauli) (Madeira)
    • São Miguel scops owl (Otus frutuosoi) (Azores)
    • Kurochkin's pygmy owl (Glaucidium kurochkini) (California, United States)
    • Bermuda saw-whet owl (Aegolius gradyi) (Bermuda) – known from Pleistocene bones, but might have persist until the early 1600s
    • (Ecuador)
  • Placement unresolved
    • Strigidae gen. et sp. indet. (Ibiza, Mediterranean)
• Tytonidae – barn owls
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Puerto Rican barn owl, Tyto cavatica (Puerto Rico, West Indies) – may still have existed in 1912; likely synonym of extant T. glaucops^[21]
    • , Tyto maniola (Cuba, West Indies)^[21]
    • New Caledonian barn owl, ?Tyto letocarti (New Caledonia, Melanesia)^[12]
    • , Tyto melitensis (Malta, Mediterranean) – possibly a paleosubspecies or a synonym of Tyto alba
    • , Tyto noeli (Cuba, Barbuda, West Indies) (Tyto neddi is a synonym)
    • , Tyto ostologa (Hispaniola, West Indies)
    • Bahama giant barn owl, Tyto pollens (Andros, Bahamas, Cuba, West Indies)^[22] (Tyto riveroi is a synonym)
    • Tyto sp. (Antigua, West Indies)
    • , Tyto cf. novaehollandiae (Mussau, Melanesia)
    • , Tyto cf. novaehollandiae (New Ireland, Melanesia)
    • , Tyto cf. alba/aurantiaca (New Ireland, Melanesia)
    • , 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 – New Zealand wrens
  • †Pachyplichas
    • Stout-legged wren, or South Island stout-legged wren, Pachyplichas yaldwyni (North Island, New Zealand)^[23]
    • North Island stout-legged wren, Pachyplichas jagmi (South Island, New Zealand) – may be subspecies of P. yaldwyni
  • †Dendroscansor
    • Long-billed wren, Dendroscansor decurvirostris (South Island, New Zealand)^[24]
    • Extinct subspecies of extant species
      • , Xenicus gilviventris ssp. nov. (North Island, New Zealand) – rock wren subspecies
• Corvidae – 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, Corvus antipodum (New Zealand)
      • , Corvus antipodum antipodum (North Island, New Zealand)
      • , Corvus antipodum pycrafti (South Island, New Zealand)
    • , Corvus viriosus (O'ahu and Moloka'i, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Corvus sp. (New Ireland, Melanesia)
    • Puerto Rican crow, Corvus pumilis (Puerto Rico and St Croix, West Indies) – probably a subspecies of C. nasicus or C. palmarum
• Hirundinidae – swallows and martins
  • Extinct subspecies of extant species
    • , Hirundo tahitensis ssp. nov. (Henderson Island, S Pacific)
• Cettiidae – bush warblers
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • , Horornis sp. (ʻEua, Tonga)
• Zosteropidae – white-eyes
  • Placement unresolved
    • , Zosteropidae gen. et sp. indet. ('Eua, Tonga)
    • , Zosteropidae gen. et sp. indet. (Guam, Marianas)
• Sturnidae – starlings
  • †Cryptopsar
    • Mauritius starling, Cryptopsar ischyrhynchus (Mauritius, Mascarenes)^[25]
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Huahine starling, Aplonis diluvialis (Huahine, Society Islands)
    • , Aplonis sp. (Erromango, Vanuatu)
• Turdidae – thrushes
  • †
    • † (Corsica)
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Maui olomaʻo, Myadestes cf. lanaiensis (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) – may have survived until the 19th century
• Mohoidae – Hawaiian honeyeaters
  • Prehistorically extinct species of recently extinct genera
    • , Chaetoptila cf. angustipluma (Oʻahu and Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , ?Chaetoptila sp. (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
• Fringillidae – finches, Hawaiian honeycreepers
  • †Orthiospiza
    • Highland finch, 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 mirandus (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Vangulifer neophasis (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
  • †
    • , Aidemedia chascax (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Aidemedia zanclops (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Aidemedia lutetiae (Maui and Molokaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
  • Prehistorically extinct species of extant and recently extinct genera
    • Slender-billed greenfinch, Chloris aurelioi (Tenerife, Canary Islands)
    • Trias greenfinch, Chloris triasi (La Palma, Canary Islands)
    • Greater Azores bullfinch, Pyrrhula crassa (Graciosa, Azores)^[26]
    • Kauaʻi finch, Telespiza persecutrix (Kauaʻi and Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
    • Maui Nui finch, Telespiza ypsilon (Maui and Molokaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , 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, Rhodacanthis litotes (Oʻahu and Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
    • Wahi grosbeak, Chloridops wahi (Oʻahu and Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
    • King Kong grosbeak, Chloridops regiskongi (Oʻahu, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Chloridops sp. (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands) – may be same as Chloridops wahi
    • , Chloridops sp. (Maui, Hawaiian Islands)
    • Giant nukupu‘u, Hemignathus vorpalis (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Hemignathus sp. (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands) – sometimes in genus Akialoa
    • Hoopoe-billed ʻakialoa, Hemignathus upupirostris (Kauaʻi and Oʻahu) – sometimes in genus Akialoa
    • Hemignathus aff. upupirostris (Maui)
    • Stout-legged finch, Ciridops tenax (Kauaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , Ciridops cf. anna (Molokaʻi, Hawaiian Islands)
    • , 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 – waxbills
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • , Erythrura sp. (Guam and Rota, Marianas)
• Emberizidae – Old World buntings
  • Extinct species of extant genera
    • Long-legged bunting, Emberiza alcoveri (Tenerife, Canary Islands)^[27]
• Passerellidae – New World sparrows
  • †Pedinorhis
    • , 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
    • , Euphagus magnirostris (California south to South America)
    • , Molothrus resinosus (Peru)
    • , Icterus turmalis (Peru)

See also[]

• List of extinct birds
• Flightless birds
• Holocene extinction event
• List of extinct animals
• Prehistoric life

References[]

Citations[]

General[]

• Steadman, David William (2006): Extinction and Biogeography of Tropical Pacific Birds. University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0-226-77142-3
• 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
• Goodman, S.M. and Patterson, B.D. (1997) Natural Change and Human Impact in Madagascar. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington and London. 432 S. ISBN 978-1-56098-683-6
• 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. ISBN 84-96553-42-6
• Turvey, Samuel T. (edit.) (2009) Holocene Extinctions. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-953509-5
• Feduccia, Alan (1999) The Origin and Evolution of Birds. 2nd. Edit. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-07861-9
• Olson, Storrs L.; James, Helen F (1991). "Descriptions of Thirty-Two New Species of Birds from the Hawaiian Islands: Part I. Non-Passeriformes". Ornithological Monographs. 45 (45): 1–91. doi:10.2307/40166794. hdl:10088/1745. JSTOR 40166794.
• James, Helen F.; Olson, Storrs L (1991). "Descriptions of Thirty-Two New Species of Birds from the Hawaiian Islands: Part II. Passeriformes". Ornithological Monographs. 46 (46): 1–92. doi:10.2307/40166713. hdl:10088/1745. JSTOR 40166713.

External links[]

• The Great New Zealand Eagle: The World's Biggest Eagle By Neville Guthrie