Pelagornis fossil map
Where fossils of Pelagornis have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 15 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 15 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 | 41.03–2.58 million years ago (Bartonian to Piacenzian) |
| Periods | Paleogene, Neogene |
| Family | Pelagornithidae |
| Named by | Lartet 1857 |
| Fossil records | 40 occurrences at 36 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Chile, Peru, UK, France, New Zealand, Venezuela, Portugal, Morocco, Australia … |
| Rock formations | txn:39658, Bahía Inglesa, Monterey, Pisco, Yorktown, Gault |
About Pelagornis
Pelagornis is an extinct genus of prehistoric pseudotooth birds, a group of extinct seabirds. Species span from the Oligocene to the Early Pleistocene. Members of Pelagornis represent among the largest pseudotooth birds, with one species, P. sandersi, having the widest wingspan of any bird known.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Pelagornis (revision 1369571268), 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: Q2086368.
