Passenger Pigeon
Quick Passenger Pigeon Facts:
- Lived all over North America
- Were 3 to 5 billion living Passenger Pigeons at one point in time
- Nests contained 1 egg at a time
- Went extinct in 1914
- Was the origin of the term "stool pigeon"
- Could fly as fast as a gazelle could run
Argentavis
Quick Argentavis Facts:
- Lived in what is now South America
- Lived during the Late Miocene Period
- Weighed as much as an adult human male
- Had a wingspan as wide as a small plane
- May have flown by gliding like a hang-glider
- May have been a scavenger
Terror Bird
Quick Terror Bird Facts:
- Lived in what is now South America
- Lived during the Middle Miocene Period
- Weighed as much as a panda bear
- Could run faster than a horse
- Couldn't fly
- Was carnivorous
Elephant Bird
Quick Elephant Bird Facts:
- Went extinct during the 18th century
- Lived in Madagascar
- Was half the height of a giraffe
- Weighed more than a horse
- Probably had a diet of fruit
- Was the biggest bird of all time
Gansus
Quick Gansus Facts:
- Lived during the Late Cretaceous Period
- Lived in what is now Asia
- Was about the size of a pigeon
- Floated on rivers and lakes like a duck
- Was a Piscivore
- Could be one of the earliest known birds
Titanis
Quick Titanis Facts:
- Lived from the Pliocene-Early Pleistocene Period
- Lived in North America
- Could run faster than Secretariat
- Was taller than the average Christmas tree
- Weighed almost as much as a panda bear
- Was Carnivorous
Great Auk
Quick Great Auk Facts:
- Lived up until the mid-19th century
- Lived in Western Europe, North America, Scandinavia and Greenland
- Was about the height of Verne Troyer
- Weighed as much as a cat
- Ate fish and other marine animals such as crabs
- Was referenced in James Joyce's classic novel Ulysses
Kairuku
Quick Kairuku Facts:
- Lived during the Oligocene epoch
- Lived in what is now New Zealand
- Was about the height of Danny DeVito
- Weighed as much as an octopus
- Ate fish and other marine animals
Carolina Parakeet
Quick Carolina Parakeet Facts:
- Lived all over North America
- Went exctinct in 1918
- About the size of a ruler
- Weighed as much as a hamster
- Was probably an herbivore
Gastornis
Quick Gastornis Facts:
- Lived in what is now Western Europe, North America and Eastern Asia
- Lived during the Middle Eocene Period
- Was as tall as an average human male
- Weighed as much as an average human male
- Was probably an herbivore
Pelagornis
Quick Pelagornis Facts:
- Lived all over the world
- Lived during the Late Miocene Period
- Its wingspan was about a third of the length of a bowling alley
- Weighed almost as much as 3 gold bars
- Was a Piscivore
Confuciusornis
Quick Confuciusornis Facts:
- Lived in what is now China
- Lived during the Early Cretaceous Period
- Was about the size of a crow
- Weighed as much as a hamster
- Probably lived off a diet of seeds
- Was hunted by Sinocalliopteryx
Kelenken
Quick Kelenken Facts:
- Lived in what is now South America
- Lived during the Middle Miocene Period
- Was about half the height of a giraffe
- Weighed as much as a pig
- Couldn't Fly
Giant Moa
Quick Giant Moa Facts:
- Lived in what is now New Zealand
- Went extinct during the 16th century
- Was twice as tall as a human male
- Weighed more than a panda
- Couldn't Fly
Hesperornis
Quick Hesperornis Facts:
- Lived in what is now North America
- Lived during the Late Cretaceous Period
- Was almost as long as a man is tall
- Weighed as much as 2 cats
- Couldn't Fly
- Was a Piscivore
Diplocaulus
Quick Diplocaulus Facts:
- Lived in what is now North America
- Lived during the Permian period
- Was as long as a yard stick
- Weighed as much as a cat
- Had a boomerang-shaped head
- Was a Piscivore
Colosteus
Quick Colosteus Facts:
- Lived in what is now Ohio, USA
- Lived during the late Carboniferous period
- Was as long as a yard stick
- Weighed as much as a gallon of paint
- Piscivore or Carnivore?
Prionosuchus
Quick Prionosuchus Facts:
- Lived in what is now Brazil
- Lived during the Permian period
- Was as long as a London Bus
- Weighed twice as much as a Nile crocodile
- Almost as fast as a bull
- Carnivore
Koolasuchus
Quick Koolasuchus Facts:
- Lived in what is now known as Australia
- Lived during the middle Cretaceous period
- Was as long as an American alligator
- Weighed as much as an American alligator
- Was a Piscivore
Seymouria
Quick Seymouria Facts:
- Lived in what is now known as the United States and in Germany
- Lived during the Permian period
- Was as long as a Western Hognose Snake
- Weighed as much as half a brick
- Was a carnivore
