So far, 18 different species of birds have been identified from Montbrook fossils by Florida Museum Curator of Ornithology, David Steadman!

Aves Faunal List:

  • Our latest addition to the list is a swift (Family Apodidae), based on a complete radius found by a volunteer picking screenwashed sediment from Montbrook. This is the oldest known fossil of a swift from North America!
  • Podilymbus sp. (grebe)
  • Phalacrocorax wetmorei (cormorant)
  • Ciconiidae (stork)
  • Ardeidae (heron)
  • Threskiornithidae (large ibis)
  • Threskiornithidae (small ibis)
  • Cygnus mariae (swan)
Cindy Lockner with her swan fossil in October 2016
The first swan fossil recovered from Montbrook by Cindy Lockner. Florida Museum photo by Richard Hulbert
Cindy Lockner with her swan carpometacarpus in November! Florida Museum photo by Jonathan Bloch.
Close up of Cindy’s swan carpometacarpus
Montbrook fossil and modern swan limb bone comparison as modeled by Jessica Oswald.
  • Dendrocygna (whistling duck)
  • Aix  (wood duck)
  • Anas sp. 1 (medium-large dabbling duck)
  • Anas sp. 2 (medium dabbling duck)
  • Anas sp. 3 (small dabbling duck)
Lee Williams with a duck coracoid. Florida Museum photo taken on October 21st, 2016 by Jonathan Bloch
Close up of Lee Williams duck coracoid fossil. Florida Museum photo taken on October 21st, 2016 by Jonathan Bloch
  • Cathartidae (condor)
  • Tetraonidae (grouse)
  • Odontophoridae (quail)
  • Scolopacidae (sandpiper)
  • Passeriformes (songbird)
On April 5th, 2018 Forest Hoffman found a bird humerus and ulna. Florida Museum photo by Cindy Lockner
On April 5th, 2018 Forest Hoffman found a bird humerus and ulna. Florida Museum photo by Cindy Lockner