22. Graculavus
The prehistoric bird Graculavus was discovered in the late 19th century. Paleontologists estimate that it lived roughly 68 to 62 million years ago in the Western and northwestern Atlantic Interior Seaway. It’s possible that the Graculavus lived all the way through the first stage of the Paleocene Epoch. Remains of the Graculavus were found in Texas and Wyoming.
Two different species of the Graculavus have been discovered: the Graculavus Augustus and the Graculavus Velox. This bird is most closely related to seagulls and modern shorebirds. Experts believe the Graculavus was a critical species in the evolution of transitional shorebirds. Since 1872, paleontologists have been studying the fascinating Graculavus.