WAndrewsornis is an extinct genus of giant flightless predatory birds of the family Phorusrhacidae or "terror birds" that lived in Argentina. Fossils have been found in the Agua de la Piedra Formation.
WBathornis is an extinct lineage of birds related to modern day seriemas, that lived in North America about 37–20 million years ago. Like the closely related and also extinct phorusrhacids, it was a flightless predator, occupying predatory niches in environments classically considered to be dominated by mammals. It was a highly diverse and successful genus, spanning a large number of species that occurred from the Priabonian Eocene to the Burdigalian Miocene epochs.
WBathornithidae is an extinct family of birds from the Eocene to Miocene of North America. Part of Cariamiformes, they are related to the still extant seriemas and the also extinct Phorusrhacidae. They were likely similar in habits, being terrestrial, long-legged predators, some of which attained massive sizes.
WDiomedeoides is a prehistoric genus of seabirds. The family was in the order Procellariiformes which today is composed of the albatrosses and petrels. At present it is the only genus in the family Diomedeoididae. There are three described species. The taxonomy of the family and genus is still in need to revision, and it is likely that the genus name Diomedeoides is actually the junior synonym to Rupelornis.
WKairuku is an extinct genus of penguin. It contains three species, K. grebneffi, K. waitaki and K. waewaeroa. This taxon is known from bones from 27 MYA, from the Kokoamu Greensand Formation of New Zealand. It was historically referred to as Palaeeudyptes.
WKairuku grebneffi is an extinct species of giant penguin. It is among the tallest and heaviest penguins attested to, weighing 50% more than modern emperor penguins. The species is marked by a slender body and long, slender bill. K. grebneffi lived in what is now New Zealand during the late Oligocene, going extinct around 25 million years ago. Bones of the species were first discovered in 1977, but it was not classified as a distinct species until 2012.
WPalaeeudyptes is an extinct genus of large penguins, currently containing four accepted species. They were probably larger than almost all living penguins, with the smaller species being about the size of an emperor penguin and the largest ones having stood about 2 metres (6.6 ft) tall.
WPalaeeudyptes antarcticus, also referred to as the narrow-flippered penguin, is the type species of the extinct penguin genus Palaeeudyptes. It was a huge species, albeit probably with a large size variation. Although the size range can only be loosely estimated, the birds seem to have stood between 43 and 55 inches high in life, placing this species and its congener Palaeeudyptes marplesi among the largest penguin species known. It was the last known Palaeeudyptes species, and although the exact time when it lived is not precisely determined, it may have evolved from P. marplesi, or they might even have been a single species which slightly decreased in size over time.
WPalaelodus is an extinct genus of birds distantly related to flamingos. They were slender birds with long, thin legs and a long neck. Little is known about the shape of their skull or beak. Some paleontologists think Palaelodus was able to swim under water, chasing prey, but the morphology of their feet seems not very well adapted for diving. Rather, it is more likely that they were adapted to browsing for food while swimming or standing in shallow water.
WPalaeoephippiorhynchus is an extinct genus of large stork from the Oligocene of Africa: its closest living relative is the Saddle-billed stork.
WParaphysornis is an extinct genus of giant flightless terror birds that inhabited Brazil during Late Oligocene or Early Miocene epochs.
WPelagornis sandersi is an extinct species of flying bird, whose fossil remains date from 25 million years ago, during the Chattian age of the Oligocene. The sole specimen of P. sandersi has a wingspan estimated between 6.1 and 7.4 m, giving it the largest wingspan of any flying bird yet discovered, twice that of the wandering albatross, which has the largest wingspan of any extant bird.
WPhysornis is an extinct genus of giant flightless predatory birds of the family Phorusrhacidae or "terror birds", within the subfamily Brontornithinae, that lived in Argentina. The type species is P. fortis. It lived during the Middle to Late Oligocene (Deseadan). Fossils of Physornis have been found in strata of 29.2 to 26.3 million years old, belonging to the Sarmiento Formation.
WPresbyornis is an extinct genus of anseriform bird. It contains two unequivocally accepted species; the well-known P. pervetus and the much lesser-known P. isoni. P. pervetus was approximately the size and shape of a goose, but with longer legs; P. isoni, known from a few bones, was much larger, more than swan-sized. Other fossils, more doubtfully assigned to this genus, are also known.
WPsilopterus is an extinct genus of phorusrhacid from the Middle Oligocene to Late Pleistocene of Argentina and Uruguay. Compared to other phorusrhacids, members of the genus are both relatively gracile and diminutive, and include the smallest known species of terror bird: with the head raised P. bachmanni was 70–80 centimeters (2.3–2.6 ft) in height and weighed about 5 kilograms (11 lb), while the largest members of the genus were only about 7 kilograms (15 lb). The birds resemble the modern cariama, except with a heavier build and considerably smaller wings. The strong morphological similarity between the claws of the predatory cariama and Psilopterus, both of which are sharp, curved, and laterally compressed, may indicate they were used to strike prey. In contrast to the other, larger terror birds, Tonni and Tambussi also suggested Psilopterus could use their claws to climb trees, and could even fly, but this has been rejected in more recent literature. Fossil finds in Uruguay indicate the genus may have survived until 96,040 ± 6,300 years ago, millions of years after the larger phorusrhacids became extinct.
WResoviaornis is an extinct genus of passerine bird from the Early Oligocene of southern Poland. Only one species is recorded for the genus, Resoviaornis jamrozi.
WStrigogyps is an extinct genus of prehistoric bird from the Middle Eocene to Early Oligocene of France and Germany. It was probably around the size of a large chicken or a guan, weighing not quite 1 kilogram (2.2 lb). Apparently, as indicated by the ratio of lengths of wing to leg bones, S. sapea was flightless. Its legs were not adapted to running, so it seems to have had a walking lifestyle similar to trumpeters. Unlike other Cariamiformes, which appear to have been mostly carnivorous, Strigogyps specimens suggest a herbivorous diet.
WTeratornithidae is an extinct family of very large birds of prey that lived in North and South America from the Late Oligocene to Late Pleistocene. They include some of the largest known flying birds.
WWieslochia weissi is an extinct species of passerine bird from the early Oligocene of Germany. Remains of this species have been found in a clay pit in Frauenweiler near Wiesloch, Germany. The holotype is a dissociated skeleton on two slabs. Another specimen consisting on a mandible and a cranium has been found in the same horyzon. The taxonomic affinities of Wieslochia are not well understood as it shares some similarities with suboscines but it seems more primitive in other features. It was first described by Gerald Mayr and Albrecht Manegold.
WWoodpeckers are part of the family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks, and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. Most species live in forests or woodland habitats, although a few species are known that live in treeless areas, such as rocky hillsides and deserts, and the Gila woodpecker specialises in exploiting cacti.