| Aiolornis Temporal range: Early Pliocene - Late Pleistocene
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|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Cathartiformes |
| Family: | †Teratornithidae |
| Genus: | †Aiolornis Campbell, Scott & Springer, 1999 |
| Species: | †A. incredibilis
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| Binomial name | |
| †Aiolornis incredibilis (Howard, 1952)
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| Synonyms | |
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Teratornis incredibilis Howard, 1952 | |
Aiolornis incredibilis is an extinct species of teratorn bird from the western United States. Only fragmentary remains have been found, which are dated between the Early Pliocene (Zanclean) and Late Pleistocene. First described as Teratornis incredibilis by Howard in 1952 based on a cuneiform bone, the species has been moved to the new genus Aiolornis by Campbell, Scott and Springer in 1999. The generic name is derived from the ancient Greek words aiolus and ornis. Aiolus refers to the Greek god of the wind, and ornis means "bird". The specific name incredibilis means 'incredible'. A. incredibilis is lesser-known than its close relative, Teratornis merriami, even though A. incredibilis was significantly larger. It presumably became extinct at the same time as the other megafauna in North America.