Relicts of bone from dead birds that have been carefully removed at different types of excavations provide subtle clues to identify the avifauna present during past millenniums in North America. This type of ornithological research is an interesting and intriguing investigation of fragile remnants of excavated bird skeletons, and a subsequent, detailed comparison to known bones to determine - if possible - the particular species.
Published finding present clues of the birds present at a particular locale at a place and time long before primitive peoples had any means of recording history, and hundreds to many thousands of years prior to the first written record of a bird on the continent.
Prehistoric Law's Diving-Goose. Image courtesy of Wikipedia. |
A wide variety of published findings are available. Each scholarly article may provide details of only a few species, but combined results from the wide range of anthropology, ornithology, archeology and related sources do provide a set of occurrence records for a wonderfully representative variety of avifauna extant during eleven millennia. In this case, starting with ca. 12,000 years before the common era (B.C.E.) through two thousand years ago.
A list of known species was determined by extracting bird information from more than 500 published sources. Information was entered into a database, and included the given bird species name, and the particular locale including country, state or province if applicable and county if available. Chronology was determined from radio carbon dating for the site as given with the research findings. In some cases, when several date ranges were provided, an average was used to designate an approximate, but accurate time of occurrence. Also, in some instances, when avian remains occurred in different strata, distinct names for a particular set of records were designated to separate the species into a time frame with a greater degree of precision.
Ancient Avifauna
More than 1850 distinct records provide the details to document more about 305 recognized species for North America prior to 2000 years B.C.E. (also commonly referred to as Y.B.P., or Years Before Present). For the purposes of this comparison, the base year used is A.D. 2000.
The information given is the species in modern taxonomic sequence, the thousand year period of time before common era, and the number of records within each designated time period. If a record is included within a particular millennia, the site chronology was correlated within that period of a thousand years. For example, if a site was dated to approximately 7750 years B.C.E., it would be within the 7000 millennia period.
Notable are several currently extinct species which were a short time ago in the past - biologically speaking - were an integral part of the continental avifauna.
The value given indicates the number of records for the particular period.
| Common Name | 12000 | 11000 | 10000 | 9000 | 8000 | 7000 | 6000 | 5000 | 4000 | 3000 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black-bellied Whistling-Duck | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Greater White-fronted Goose | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 2 |
| Snow Goose | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | - | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Ross's Goose | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Brant | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Canada Goose | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | - | 6 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Trumpeter Swan | - | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Tundra Swan | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Muscovy Duck | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Wood Duck | - | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - |
| Gadwall | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 | 2 | - | 2 |
| American Wigeon | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | - | 3 |
| American Black Duck | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | - |
| Mallard | 3 | 3 | 5 | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Blue-winged Teal | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | - | 2 |
| Cinnamon Teal | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 1 |
| Northern Shoveler | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Northern Pintail | 1 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Green-winged Teal | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | - | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Canvasback | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| Redhead | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | 1 |
| Ring-necked Duck | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Greater Scaup | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Lesser Scaup | 1 | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | - | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Law's Diving-Goose | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| King Eider | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Common Eider | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Harlequin Duck | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Surf Scoter | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 4 |
| White-winged Scoter | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 3 |
| Black Scoter | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Long-tailed Duck | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Bufflehead | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | - | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| Common Goldeneye | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| Hooded Merganser | 1 | - | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Common Merganser | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Red-breasted Merganser | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Ruddy Duck | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3 |
| Plain Chachalaca | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| White-bellied Chachalaca | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Ruffed Grouse | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | - | 1 | 3 |
| Greater Sage-Grouse | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | - | 4 | - | 4 | - | 4 | - |
| Spruce Grouse | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Willow Ptarmigan | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Dusky Grouse | 1 | 1 | 3 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 4 | - | 1 | 2 |
| Sharp-tailed Grouse | 3 | 1 | 4 | - | - | 1 | - | 3 | - | 2 | - |
| Greater Prairie-Chicken | 3 | - | 5 | 1 | - | 3 | - | 1 | 2 | 3 | - |
| Lesser Prairie-Chicken | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Wild Turkey | 3 | 2 | 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 20 |
| Ocellated Turkey | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Mountain Quail | - | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Scaled Quail | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Northern Bobwhite | 3 | - | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| Spotted Wood-Quail | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Ocellated Quail | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Red-throated Loon | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 3 |
| Arctic Loon | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Pacific Loon | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| Common Loon | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Least Grebe | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Pied-billed Grebe | 3 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 3 | 10 | 7 | 2 |
| Horned Grebe | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Red-necked Grebe | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Eared Grebe | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | 5 | - | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| Western Grebe | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 5 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Black-footed Albatross | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Short-tailed Albatross | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Northern Fulmar | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Bermuda Petrel | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Pink-footed Shearwater | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Buller's Shearwater | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Sooty Shearwater | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Short-tailed Shearwater | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Manx Shearwater | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| Audubon's Shearwater | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Leach's Storm-Petrel | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| Ashy Storm-Petrel | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Black Storm-Petrel | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Brown Booby | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Northern Gannet | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| American White Pelican | 1 | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| Brown Pelican | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Brandt's Cormorant | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 3 |
| Neotropic Cormorant | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Double-crested Cormorant | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | 4 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Pelagic Cormorant | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 2 |
| Anhinga | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| American Bittern | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Least Bittern | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Bare-throated Tiger-Heron | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Great Blue Heron | - | - | - | 1 | - | 3 | - | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| Great Egret | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 3 | 2 | - |
| Snowy Egret | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Little Blue Heron | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Green Heron | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | - | - | 1 | - | - | 2 | - | - | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| White Ibis | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| White-faced Ibis | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Wood Stork | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Black Vulture | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Turkey Vulture | 3 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | - | - | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| California Condor | 6 | - | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| Osprey | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | - | 1 | 2 |
| Swallow-tailed Kite | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Mississippi Kite | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Bald Eagle | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 |
| Northern Harrier | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | 3 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 1 |
| Cooper's Hawk | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 1 | - | 1 |
| Northern Goshawk | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Common Black-Hawk | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Roadside Hawk | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | 2 | - | 2 | - | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Broad-winged Hawk | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Swainson's Hawk | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | 5 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rough-legged Hawk | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
| Harpy Eagle | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Golden Eagle | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | - | 7 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Crested Caracara | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Bahama's Caracara | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| American Kestrel | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | - | 7 |
| Merlin | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Aplomado Falcon | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Peregrine Falcon | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Prairie Falcon | 2 | 2 | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Yellow Rail | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Gray-breasted Crake | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Clapper Rail | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| King Rail | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Virginia Rail | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Sora | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | - | 1 | 2 | - | 1 |
| Purple Gallinule | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Common Moorhen | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| American Coot | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | - | 7 | 11 | 5 | 4 |
| Sandhill Crane | - | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Whooping Crane | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Black-bellied Plover | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Semipalmated Plover | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Killdeer | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Mountain Plover | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Black-necked Stilt | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| American Avocet | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 |
| Spotted Sandpiper | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Wandering Tattler | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Willet | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Upland Sandpiper | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| Whimbrel | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - |
| Long-billed Curlew | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | - | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| Hudsonian Godwit | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Marbled Godwit | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - |
| Ruddy Turnstone | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sanderling | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Least Sandpiper | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Short-billed Dowitcher | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Wilson's Snipe | 2 | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 2 | 1 | - | 2 |
| American Woodcock | 3 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Red-necked Phalarope | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Red Phalarope | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Bonaparte's Gull | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 |
| Heermann's Gull | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
| Mew Gull | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Ring-billed Gull | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| California Gull | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | - | 3 |
| Herring Gull | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Western Gull | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 2 |
| Glaucous-winged Gull | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Glaucous Gull | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Black-legged Kittiwake | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 3 |
| Sooty Tern | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Caspian Tern | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Black Tern | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Common Tern | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Arctic Tern | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Sandwich Tern | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Parasitic Jaeger | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Common Murre | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 1 | 5 |
| Razorbill | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Great Auk | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - |
| Pigeon Guillemot | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Marbled Murrelet | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Xantus's Murrelet | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Cassin's Auklet | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Parakeet Auklet | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Least Auklet | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Rhinoceros Auklet | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Tufted Puffin | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - |
| Scaled Pigeon | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| White-crowned Pigeon | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| White-winged Dove | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Zenaida Dove | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Mourning Dove | 3 | - | 1 | 2 | - | 2 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Passenger Pigeon | 4 | - | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Inca Dove | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Blue Ground-Dove | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| White-tipped Dove | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Key West Quail-Dove | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Bridled Quail-dove | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Ruddy Quail-Dove | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Orange-fronted Parakeet | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Military Macaw | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| White-fronted Parrot | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Cuban Parrot | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Lesser Ground-Cuckoo | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Greater Roadrunner | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Groove-billed Ani | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Barn Owl | 2 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Western Screech-Owl | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Eastern Screech-Owl | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | - |
| Great Horned Owl | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Snowy Owl | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 2 |
| Northern Hawk Owl | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| Northern Pygmy-Owl | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Elf Owl | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Burrowing Owl | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| Spotted Owl | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Barred Owl | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| Long-eared Owl | 2 | - | 4 | - | - | 1 | - | 2 | - | - | 1 |
| Short-eared Owl | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 2 | - | 2 | - | 1 | 2 |
| Boreal Owl | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Common Nighthawk | 1 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Chuck-will's-widow | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Chimney Swift | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| White-throated Swift | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Blue-crowned Motmot | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Ringed Kingfisher | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Belted Kingfisher | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Emerald Toucanet | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | 3 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | 1 |
| West Indian Woodpecker | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Downy Woodpecker | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Hairy Woodpecker | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| White-headed Woodpecker | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Northern Flicker | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | - | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Pileated Woodpecker | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Ivory-billed Woodpecker | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Western Wood-Pewee | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Cuban Pewee | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Eastern Phoebe | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Say's Phoebe | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Rose-throated Becard | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Northern Shrike | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Gray Jay | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Steller's Jay | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Blue Jay | 3 | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 | 2 | - | 1 |
| Florida Scrub-Jay | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pinyon Jay | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Clark's Nutcracker | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Black-billed Magpie | 5 | - | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | - | 2 | - |
| American Crow | 1 | - | 4 | 1 | 3 | - | 1 | 3 | 2 | - | 4 |
| Cuban Crow | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Fish Crow | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 1 |
| Common Raven | 8 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 6 | - | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| Horned Lark | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 |
| Cliff Swallow | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Cave Swallow | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Carolina Chickadee | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Rock Wren | - | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Canyon Wren | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Western Bluebird | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Mountain Bluebird | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Townsend's Solitaire | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| American Robin | 4 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Red-legged Thrush | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Gray Catbird | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |
| Northern Mockingbird | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Bahama Mockingbird | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Brown Thrasher | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Pearly-eyed Thrasher | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| European Starling | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Bohemian Waxwing | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Black-and-White Warbler | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bahama Yellowthroat | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Scarlet Tanager | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Black-faced Grassquit | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Eastern Towhee | 1 | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Chipping Sparrow | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Vesper Sparrow | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Fox Sparrow | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| Song Sparrow | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| White-throated Sparrow | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Northern Cardinal | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Dickcissel | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Red-winged Blackbird | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Eastern Meadowlark | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Western Meadowlark | - | - | 1 | - | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Brewer's Blackbird | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Common Grackle | 1 | - | 3 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | 1 | - |
| Great-tailed Grackle | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 1 | - |
| Pine Grosbeak | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Purple Finch | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| White-winged Crossbill | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - |
| Pine Siskin | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
There are additional records for these expansive time periods which refer to generic species (i.e., goose, duck, hawk, gull, woodpecker, etc.) but these are not included in the list. Neither are bone remains identified to a group of birds such as unidentified waterfowl, or in some cases, simply as unidentified birds.
Grouping the records into distinct millennia shows how the analysis of species varies during a period of time. Larger species - thus larger bones - are better represented in the older periods, with smaller species occurring more often in the more recent periods since the bone remnants have not disintegrated.
There is a large amount of information which could be determined if the records were geo-mapped using the current geographic systems. This would be an extremely useful endeavor to determine species biogeography and to evaluate changes in distribution through time.
The largest number of records are from the United States:
- Country - Number of Records
- U.S.A. - 2254
- Canada - 126
- Mexico - 63
- Bahama Islands - 49
- Belize - 3
This table has a larger number of records since it includes all records and is not limited to those records particular to a valid species.
The number of records from the different states or provinces can also be derived:
- State or Province - Country - Number of Records
- California - U.S.A. - 406
- Nevada - U.S.A. - 262
- Utah - U.S.A. - 202
- Alabama - U.S.A. - 201
- Illinois - U.S.A. - 173
- New Mexico - U.S.A. - 101
- British Columbia - Canada - 84
- Arizona - U.S.A. - 77
- Washington - U.S.A. - 77
- Tennessee - U.S.A. - 73
- Texas - U.S.A. - 71
- Idaho - U.S.A. - 69
- Florida - U.S.A. - 62
- Alaska - U.S.A. - 61
- Chiapas - Mexico - 60
- Missouri - U.S.A. - 55
- Nebraska - U.S.A. - 55
- Wisconsin - U.S.A. - 43
- Virginia - U.S.A. - 40
- Kansas - U.S.A. - 36
- Ontario - Canada - 30
- Pennsylvania - U.S.A. - 25
- Ohio - U.S.A. - 25
- New York - U.S.A. - 21
- Minnesota - U.S.A. - 21
- Michigan - U.S.A. - 20
- Oregon - U.S.A. - 17
- North Carolina - U.S.A. - 15
- Colorado - U.S.A. - 9
- South Dakota - U.S.A. - 9
- New Hampshire - U.S.A. - 8
- Montana - U.S.A. - 7
- Northwest Territories - Canada - 7
- South Carolina - U.S.A. - 4
- Wyoming - U.S.A. - 4
- Quebec - Canada - 3
- Rhode Island - U.S.A. - 3
- Alberta - Canada - 2
- Maine - U.S.A. - 1
- Mexico - Mexico - 1
- Yucatan - Mexico - 1
- Oaxaca - Mexico - 1
- New Jersey - U.S.A. - 1
The total does not match other tallies since localities where the state or province is not known are not included (i.e., the Bahama Islands and Belize).
One factor which limits the list derived from bone studies is information given for Arizona locales. Many of the studies evaluated do not include site chronology, so the material cannot be attributed to a particular time period, so the records could not be included in the analysis.
It should also be noted that there are certainly additional sources that should be included in an analysis of ancient avifauna. Many of the citations are included in the literature cited for a reviewed source, but are obscure reports that are not generally available and could note be accessed, yet alone get decent consideration. There are valuable additions that would help increase the extent of the base data to evaluate, and help provide a broader view of species occurrence during a particular millennia of former time.
Disclaimer: This is a preliminary analysis subject to change that may occur as a result of further analysis and study, and if additional informational details become available. Further resources - which are not currently available - will also be needed to provide complete geo-coding for each locale that would allow accurate mapping. Currently, there is no foreseeable time when this can be done for the 31,800+ records available overall in the Ancient Avifauna database which includes a diverse bunch of records from excavation and narrative sources through the 1850s.
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