Primobucco fossil map
Where fossils of Primobucco 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 | 56–41.03 million years ago (Ypresian to Lutetian) |
| Periods | Paleogene |
| Named by | Brodkorb 1970 |
| Fossil records | 5 occurrences at 4 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States, Germany, United Kingdom |
| Rock formations | Green River, Messel, London Clay |
About Primobucco
Primobucco is an extinct genus of bird placed in its own family, Primobucconidae.
The type species, Primobucco mcgrewi, lived during the Lower Eocene of North America. It was initially described by American paleo-ornithologist Pierce Brodkorb in 1970, from a fossil right wing, and thought to be an early puffbird. However, the discovery of a further 12 fossils in 2010 indicate that it is instead an early type of roller.
Related fossils from the European Messel deposits have been assigned to the two species P. perneri and P. frugilegus. Two specimens of P. frugilegus have been found with seeds in the area of their digestive tract, which suggests that these birds were more omnivorous than the exclusively predaceous modern rollers.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Primobucco (revision 1379257185), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q15304647.
