Bird · GBIF taxon 4966843
Hesperornis regalis
Hesperornis regalisHesperornis regalis was a formidable, flightless diving bird that patrolled the shallow waters of the Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway. Propelled by powerful, lobed feet set far back on its body, it hunted fish and belemnites with swift, serpentine strikes of its neck. Its elongated beak contained sharp, recurved teeth set in long grooves, representing a transitional stage in avian evolution before modern toothless beaks predominated.
PrehistoricFlightlessMarine
Licensed referenceRyan Schwark / CC0 · cc0
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Enchodus petrosus
- Baculites compressus
- small fish
Predators
- Tylosaurus proriger
- Cretoxyrhina mantelli
- Xiphactinus audax
ThreatsMarine predators, shoreline regression, and Late Cretaceous environmental shifts
HabitatsShallow epicontinental seas and coastal marine waters
Life span15–25 years
Classification
- FamilyHesperornithidae
- GenusHesperornis
- SpeciesHesperornis regalis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct prehistoric bird; poses no living risk to observers.
Responsible observation
- Museum Viewing: Examine mounted fossil skeletons in natural history museums to view its vestigial wings and tooth-bearing jaw bones.
- Fossil Etiquette: Observe preserved chalk trackways and marine specimens without touching, as exposed matrix is exceptionally fragile.
Neighbor MCDinosaurhunter / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Image unavailablePredator 
Prey MCDinosaurhunter / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-saClose Relative
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