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335 / Cenozoic
Teratornis
Teratornis merriami
Its near-condor wings paired with feet and a bill suited to taking live prey.
- Time range
- About 2.5 million–11,000 years ago
- Final stage
- End of the Pleistocene
- Geographic range
- Grassland and open woodland · North America
01 / DEFINITION & ECOLOGY
What was Teratornis?
Teratornis (Teratornis merriami) was an extinct organism known from About 2.5 million–11,000 years ago, with a range in Grassland and open woodland · North America.
Life and ecology
Teratornis soared on thermals, scavenged carcasses and probably caught small vertebrates.
02 / DISAPPEARANCE
Why did Teratornis disappear?
Loss of megafauna, food-web change and warming reduced its resources.
03 / EVIDENCE
How do scientists know about Teratornis?
Hundreds of La Brea bones document wingspan, age and injury.
04 / SOURCES & FURTHER READING
Check the source record
Use the scientific name to compare taxonomy, occurrence records and the fossil record. Database coverage and classifications may differ.
05 / REVISION HISTORY
How has this record changed?
- Verified authoritative entity sources and added three responsive reconstruction sizes.
- Initial bilingual species record published.
06 / CORRECTIONS & ADDITIONS