Bird
Pelagornis chilensis
Pelagornis chilensisAlso known as Chilean Pseudotooth Bird, Chilean False-toothed Bird
Pelagornis chilensis soared over the southeastern Pacific during the late Miocene, relying on ocean updrafts to sustain dynamic soaring over vast oceanic expanses. Its elongated jaws were lined with hollow, tooth-like projections of bone called pseudoteeth, exceptionally adapted for snatching slippery squid and fish from the sea surface. With a wingspan exceeding five meters, it ranks among the largest flying birds in Earth's history, coming ashore primarily on windy coastal margins to breed.
PrehistoricSeabirdCarnivorous
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preySquid, Surface fish, Cuttlefish
Predators
- Prehistoric sharks
- Large marine carnivores
ThreatsNeogene climate shifts and changing ocean upwelling systems
HabitatsPelagic oceans and coastal cliffs
Life spanEstimated 30–50 years
Classification
- OrderPelecaniformes
- FamilyPelagornithidae
- GenusPelagornis
- SpeciesPelagornis chilensis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct prehistoric species known only from fossils; poses no risk.
Responsible observation
- Museum Specimens: Examine fossil casts and mounted skeletons in natural history exhibits.
- Anatomy Observation: Look closely at jaw reconstructions to see the distinct bony projections.
Ecological Analog (c) M Rutherford, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative Pelagornis.jpg: Ryan Somma derivative work: Haplochromis (talk) / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Pelagornis.jpg: Ryan Somma derivative work: Haplochromis (talk) / CC BY-SA 2.0 · cc-by-sa
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