Gastornis fossil map
Where fossils of Gastornis have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 56 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 56 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 | 61.66–48.07 million years ago (Selandian to Ypresian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Family | Gastornithidae |
| Named by | Hébert 1855 |
| Fossil records | 13 occurrences at 10 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | France, Germany, Canada, Belgium, UK |
| Rock formations | txn:105808, Sables de Bracheux, Conglomérat de Cernay, Vaugirard, Margaret, Heers |
About Gastornis
Gastornis is an extinct genus of large, flightless birds that lived from the middle Paleocene to the middle Eocene epochs of the Paleogene. Most known fossils have been recovered from Europe, although species historically assigned to the genus have also been reported from North America and Asia. Several genera, including the well-studied Diatryma, have traditionally been regarded as junior synonyms of Gastornis. This classification has been challenged by more recent studies, however, and some researchers regard Diatryma as a distinct and valid genus.
Gastornis species were very large birds historically considered to be predators of small mammals, including early, diminutive equids. This interpretation has since been questioned by several lines of evidence. The absence of hooked claws in known Gastornis footprints, together with analyses of its beak morphology and the isotopic signatures of its bones, suggests that it was more likely herbivorous, feeding primarily on tough plant material and seeds. Gastornis is generally considered to be related to the Galloanserae, the clade comprising modern waterfowl and gamebirds.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Gastornis (revision 1380592272), 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: Q131477.
