Late Quaternary prehistoric birds are avian taxa that became extinct during the Late Quaternary – the Late Pleistocene or the Early Holocene – and before recorded history, specifically before they could be studied alive by ornithological science. They had died out before the period of global scientific exploration that started in the late 15th century. In other words, this list deals with bird extinctions between 40,000 BC and AD 1500. For the purposes of this article, a "bird" is any member of the clade Neornithes; that is, any descendant of the most recent common ancestor of all currently living birds.

These birds are known from their remains, which are subfossil bones; as the remains are not completely fossilized, they may yield organic material for molecular analyses to provide additional clues for resolving their taxonomic affiliations. Some birds are also known from folk memory, as in the case of Haast's eagle in New Zealand.

The extinction of the taxa in this list was coincident with the expansion of Homo sapiens beyond Africa and Eurasia, and in most cases, anthropogenic factors played a crucial part in their extinction, be it through hunting, introduced predators or habitat alteration. It is notable that a large proportion of the species are from oceanic islands, especially in Polynesia. Bird taxa that evolved on oceanic islands are usually very vulnerable to hunting or predation by dogs, cats, pigs, goats or rats (animals commonly introduced by humans) as they evolved in the absence of mammalian predators, and therefore have only rudimentary predator avoidance behavior. Many, especially rails, have additionally become flightless for the same reason and thus present even easier prey.

Taxon extinctions taking place before the Late Quaternary happened in the absence of significant human interference. Rather, reasons for extinction are random abiotic events such as bolide impacts, climate changes, mass volcanic eruptions, etc. Alternatively, species may have become extinct due to evolutionary displacement by successor or competitor taxa – it is notable for example that in the early Neogene, seabird biodiversity was much higher than today; this is probably due to competition by the radiation of marine mammals after that time. The relationships of these ancient birds are often hard to determine, as many are known only from very fragmentary remains and complete fossilization precludes analysis of information from DNA, RNA or protein sequencing.

Extinct birds differed from still-existing birds by being larger, mostly restricted to islands, and often flightless. These factors made them especially vulnerable to human prosecution and to other anthropogenically related declines.

Taxonomic list of Late Quaternary prehistoric birds All of these birds are in Neornithes.

Palaeognathae

Struthioniformes The ostriches Struthionidae – ostriches Extinct species of extant genera East Asian ostrich, Struthio anderssoni (China and Mongolia, East Asia) Asian ostrich, Struthio asiaticus (India)

†Aepyornithiformes The elephant birds of Madagascar †Aepyornithidae – greater elephant birds †Aepyornis Giant elephant bird, Aepyornis maximus – a 2018 study moved the largest elephant bird specimens to the genus Vorombe, but a 2023 genetic study regarded Vorombe as synonymous with Aepyornis maximus Hildebrandt's elephant bird, Aepyornis hildebrandti †Mullerornithidae – lesser elephant birds †Mullerornis Lesser elephant bird, Mullerornis modestus

†Dinornithiformes The moa of New Zealand †Emeidae – lesser moa †Anomalopteryx Bush moa, Anomalopteryx didiformis (North and South Islands, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) †Euryapteryx Broad-billed moa, Euryapteryx curtus (North Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) †Pachyornis Crested moa, Pachyornis australis (western South Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) Heavy-footed moa, Pachyornis elephantopus (eastern South Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) Mantell's moa, Pachyornis geranoides (North Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) †Emeus Eastern moa, Emeus crassus (South Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) †Dinornithidae – giant moa †Dinornis North Island giant moa, Dinornis novaezealandiae (North Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) South Island giant moa, Dinornis robustus (South Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) †Megalapterygidae – upland moa †Megalapteryx Upland moa, Megalapteryx didinus (South Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) – may have survived into historic times (syn. Megalapteryx benhami)

Neognathae †Gastornithiformes An extinct order of giant flightless fowl. †Dromornithidae – Australian mihirungs or "demon ducks of doom" †Genyornis Genyornis newtoni (Australia)

Anseriformes The group that includes modern ducks, geese, swans, and screamers. Anatidae – ducks, geese and swans †Cnemiornis – New Zealand geese South Island goose, Cnemiornis calcitrans (South Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) North Island goose, Cnemiornis gracilis (North Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) †Centrornis Malagasy sheldgoose, Centrornis majori (Madagascar) †Chelychelynechen Turtle-jawed moa-nalo, Chelychelynechen quassus (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands) †Thambetochen Maui Nui large-billed moa-nalo, Thambetochen chauliodous (Maui and Molokai, Hawaiian Islands) Oahu moa-nalo, Thambetochen xanion (Oahu, Hawaiian Islands) †Ptaiochen Small-billed moa-nalo or stumbling moa-nalo, Ptaiochen pau (Maui, Hawaiian Islands) †Chendytes California flightless sea duck, Chendytes lawi (California and southern Oregon coasts and the Channel Islands, East Pacific) †Talpanas Kauai mole duck, Talpanas lippa (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands) Extinct species of extant genera Dendrocygninae – whistling ducks Dendrocygna Aitutaki whistling duck, Dendrocygna sp. (Aitutaki, Cook Islands, South Pacific) Anserinae Biziurini – musk ducks Biziura New Zealand musk duck or De Lautour's duck, Biziura delautouri (North Island and South Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) Oxyurini Oxyura - stiff-tailed ducks New Zealand stiff-tailed duck, Oxyura vantetsi (North Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) Anserini – geese and swans Malacorhynchus Scarlett's duck, Malacorhynchus scarletti (New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) Branta – black geese or white-cheeked geese Nēnē-nui or wood-walking goose, Branta hylobadistes (Maui, possibly Kauai and Oahu, Hawaiian Islands) Giant Hawaii goose, Branta rhuax (Big Island, Hawaiian Islands) – formerly in the monotypic genus Geochen Anser – gray geese and white geese Dyuktai goose, Anser djuktaiensis (Yakutia, Russia) Anser aff. erythropus (Ibiza, Mediterranean Sea) Cygnus – swans Giant swan, Cygnus falconeri (Malta and Sicily, Mediterranean Sea) Dwarf swan, Cygnus equitum (Malta and Sicily, Mediterranean Sea) – occasionally placed in the genus Anser New Zealand swan, Cygnus sumnerensis (New Zealand and the Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific) New Zealand swan, Cygnus sumnerensis sumnerensis (South Island, New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) Chatham Islands swan, Cygnus sumnerensis chathamicus (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific) Anatinae – ducks Tadornini – shelducks and sheldgeese Tadorna – shelducks Rēkohu shelduck, Tadorna rekohu (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific) Alopochen – sheldgeese Malagasy shelduck or Sirabe shelduck, Alopochen sirabensis (Madagascar) – may be a subspecies of the Mauritius sheldgoose or Mauritius shelduck (Alopochen mauritiana), which survived in Mauritius until the 1690s Neochen Neochen barbadiana (Barbados, West Indies) Neochen debilis (Argentina, South America) Neochen pugil (Brazil, South America) Mergini – sea ducks Mergellus Mergellus mochanovi (Yakutia, Russia) Mergus – typical mergansers Chatham Island merganser, Mergus milleneri (Chatham Island, Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific) Aythyini – diving ducks Chenonetta Finsch's duck, Chenonetta finschi (New Zealand, Southwest Pacific) – possibly survived to 1870 Anatini – dabbling ducks Anas Anas amotape (Talara Tar Seeps, Late Pleistocene of Peru, South America) Anas elapsum (Chinchilla Late Pleistocene of the Condamine River, Australia) ("Nettion") Anas gracilipes (Late Pleistocene of Australia) – likely synonymous with the still-existing chestnut teal (Anas castanea) Anas schneideri (Late Pleistocene of Little Box Elder Cave, U.S.)Emsile, Steven D. (1985). "A New Species of Teal from the Pleistocene (Rancholabrean) of Wyoming" https://sora.unm.edu/node/24087 Anas strennum (Late Pleistocene of Patteramordu, Australia) ("Nettion") Mascarene teal, Mauritius duck or Sauzier's teal, Anas theodori (Mauritius and Réunion, Mascarenes) – became extinct on Mauritius c. 1700 and on Réunion in 1710, 10 years later Bermuda flightless duck, Anas pachyscelus (Bermuda, West Atlantic) Macquarie Islands teal, Anas cf. chlorotis (Macquarie Islands, Southwest Pacific) Chatham duck, Anas chathamica (Chatham Islands, Southwest Pacific) Placement unresolved Giant Oʻahu goose, Anatidae sp. et gen. indet. (Oahu, Hawaiian Islands) Long-legged shelduck, Anatidae sp. et gen. indet. (Kauai, Hawaiian Islands) Rota flightless duck, Anatidae sp. et gen. indet. (Rota, Marianas, West Pacific)

Pangalliformes The group that includes landfowl or gamefowl. †Sylviornithidae – sylviornises or New Caledonian giant megapodes †Megavitiornis Noble megapode or deep-billed megapode, Megavitiornis altirostris (Viti Levu, Fiji) †Sylviornis Sylviornis neocaledoniae (New Caledonia, Melanesia)

Galliformes Megapodidae – megapodes †Mwalau Mwalau walterlinii (Efate, Vanuatu) Giant malleefowl †Progura Progura gallinacea (Australia) Progura campestris (Australia) †Latagallina Latagallina naracoortensis (Australia) Latagallina olsoni (Australia) †Garrdimalga Garrdimalga mcnamarai (Australia) Extinct species of extant genera Megapodius – megapodes Consumed scrubfowl, Megapodius alimentum (Tonga and Fiji) Viti Levu scrubfowl, Megapodius amissus (Viti Levu and possibly Kadavu Island and Aiwa, Fiji) – may have survived up to either the early 19th century or the 20th century Pile-builder megapode, Megapodius molistructor (New Caledonia, Melanesia, Tonga and possibly Aiwa, Fiji) Eua scrubfowl or small-footed megapode, Megapodius sp. (Eua, Tonga) Lifuka scrubfowl, Megapodius sp. (Lifuka, Tonga) Stout Tongan megapode Megapodius sp. (Tongatapu, Tonga) Megapodius sp. (Ofu-Olosega, Samoa) Large Solomon Islands megapode Megapodius sp. (Buka Island, Solomon Islands, Melanesia) New Caledonian megapode Megapodius sp. (Grande Tierre, New Caledonia, Melanesia) Loyalty megapode Megapodius sp. (Lifou and Maré, Loyalty Islands, South Pacific) New Ireland scrubfowl or large Bismarck's megapode, Megapodius sp. (New Ireland, Melanesia) Phasianidae – pheasants and allies Extinct species of extant genera Gallini – francolins and junglefowl Gallus – junglefowl Gallus sp. (Middle/Late Pleistocene of Kudaro, South Ossetia) Gallus imereticus (Late Pleistocene of Gvardjilas-Klde, Imeretia) Gallus meschtscheriensis (Late Pleistocene of Soungir, Russia) Gallus georgicus (Late Pleistocene - Early Holocene of Georgia, Russia) Gallus sp. (Late Pleistocene of Krivtcha Cave, Ukraine) Gallus sp. (Early Holocene of the Dnieper region) Coturnicini Coturnix – Old World quail Canary Islands quail, Coturnix gomerae (Canary Islands, East Atlantic) Porto Santo quail, Coturnix alabrevis (Madeira, East Atlantic) Cape Verde quail, Coturnix centensis (Cape Verde, East Atlantic) Madeiran quail, Coturnix lignorum (Madeira, East Atlantic) Phasianinae Tetraonini Meleagris – turkeys Californian turkey, Meleagris californica (California, North America) Southwestern turkey, Meleagris crassipes (New Mexico, North America) Phasianini Perdix – true partridges Perdix palaeoperdix (Southern Europe)

Charadriiformes The group that includes waders, gulls and auks. Charadrii