Aepyornis fossil map
Where fossils of Aepyornis have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Prehistoric birds |
|---|---|
| Lived | 0.129 million years ago to the present (Late Pleistocene to Holocene) |
| Periods | Quaternary |
| Family | Aepyornithidae |
| Named by | Geoffroy 1850 |
| Fossil records | 8 occurrences at 7 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Madagascar |
| Rock formations | txn:39292 |
About Aepyornis
Aepyornis is an extinct genus of elephant bird formerly endemic to Madagascar. The genus had two species, the smaller A. hildebrandti and the larger A. maximus, which is possibly the largest bird ever to have lived. Its closest living relative is the New Zealand kiwi. The genus became extinct sometime around AD 1000, probably as a result of human activity.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Aepyornis (revision 1379728509), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 22 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q2638301.
