Discovered in Smith creek cave, white pine county, 34 miles north of Baker, Nevada in 1952.
Aiolus refers to the ‘greek god of the wind’, and ornis means “bird”. The specific name incredibilis means ‘incredible’.
Given the fragmentary nature of fossils. There can be many uncertainties about pre-neolithic birds. Based on there holotype bone pieces and bigger size, eventually enough aiolornis incrediblis data was collected. In 1999, along roadside in Murrieta, California more bone pieces were found. A near skeleton had been completed. The birds wingspan size was estimated to be 5 to 5.5 meters.
It is believed they existed early pliocene (zanclean) to late pleistocene. (Approximately 12000 years or so ago). The birds order also includes the extinct and existent New World vultures. Like modern turkey vultures and California condors.
Not much is known of the “god of wind, bird, incredible”, along with other species of bird that went extinct around the end of the racholabrean of the pleistocene 11,700 years ago. Many birds fossils were small. Although some probably share similarities with birds nowadays, like the vultures. The larger wing span truly make the aiolornis incredibilis incredible.
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