Paleontology or palaeontology is the study of prehistoric life forms on Earth through the examination of plant and animal fossils. This includes the study of body fossils, tracks (ichnites), burrows, cast-off parts, fossilised feces (coprolites), palynomorphs and chemical residues. Because humans have encountered fossils for millennia, paleontology has a long history both before and after becoming formalized as a science. This article records significant discoveries and events related to paleontology that occurred or were published in the year 1963.
 Propelma
 Gen et sp. nov
 valid
 Trjapitzin
 Eocene
 Baltic amber 
  Europe
 A eupelmid wasp. Type species P. rohdendorfi
 "Triassolestes"
 Gen et sp nov 
 preoccupied
 Reig
 Carnian
 A Crocodylomorph, Preoccupied by Triassolestes Tillyard 1918. Renamed Trialestes.
 Data courtesy of George Olshevsky's dinosaur genera list.
 Late Triassic (Carnian)
 Ischigualasto Formation
 A herrerasaurid. This was an early flesh-eating dinosaur.
 Late Triassic (Carnian)
 A herrerasaurid.
 Late Triassic (Norian)
 Stubensandstein
 Either a theropod or shuvosaurid.
 Agriocharis anza
 Sp. nov.
 synonym
 Howard
 Middle Pleistocene
 Palm Spring Formation
 A Phasianidae, a synonym of Meleagris anza
 Anas itchtucknee
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 McCoy 
 Late Pleistocene
 An Anatidae.
 Aphanocrex podarces
 Gen. nov et Sp. nov.
 valid
 Wetmore 
 Holocene
 St. Helena
 A Rallidae.
 Brantadorna downsi
 Gen. Nov. et Sp. nov.
 valid
 Howard 
 Middle Pleistocene
 Palm Spring Formation
 An Anatidae.
 Bucephala fossilis
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Howard 
 Middle Pleistocene
 Palm Spring Formation
 An Anatidae.
 Calidris rayi
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb
 Early Pliocene
 A Scolopacidae.
 Ceramornis major
 Gen. et Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb 
 Late Maastrichtian
 Lance Formation
 A Cimolopterygidae Brodkporb, 1963.
 Cimolopteryx maxima
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb 
 Late Maastrichtian
 Lance Formation
 A Cimolopterygidae Brodkporb, 1963.
 Cimolopteryx rara
 Gen. nov. et Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb 
 Late Maastrichtian
 Lance Formation
 A Cimolopterygidae Brodkporb, 1963.
 Dromiceius ocypus
 Synonym
 valid
 Holmes Miller
 Early Pliocene
 Mampuwordu Sands
 A Dromaiidae, transferred to the genus Dromaius.
 Fulica hesterna
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Howard
 Middle Pleistocene
 Palm Spring Formation
 A Rallidae.
 Gallinula brodkorbi
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 McCoy 
 Late Pleistocene
 A Rallidae.
 Lonchodytes
 Gen. et Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb 
 Late Maastrichtian
 Lance Formation
 A Gaviiformes, type sp. L. estesi
 Lonchodytes pterygius
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb 
 Late Maastrichtian
 Lance Formation
 A Gaviiformes 
 Nanortyx
 Gen et sp. nov.
 valid
 Weigel 
 Early Oligocene
 Cypress Hills Formation
 An Odontophoridae, type sp. N. inexpectatus
 Neococcyx
 Gen et sp. nov.
 valid
 Weigel
 Early Oligocene
 Cypress Hills Formation
 A Coccyzid, type sp. N. mccorquodalei
 Neophrontops vallecitoensis
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Howard 
 Middle Pleistocene
 Palm Spring Formation
 An Accipitridae.
 Nycticorax fidens
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb
 Early Pliocene
 An Ardeidae.
 Oxyura bessomi
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Howard 
 Middle Pleistocene
 Palm Spring Formation
 An Anatidae.
 Palaeeudyptes marplesi
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb
 Late Eocene
 Burnside Marl
 A Spheniscidae.
 Palaeostruthus eurius
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb 
 Late Miocene
 A Passerellidae.
 Paractitis
 Gen et sp. nov.
 valid
 Weigel
 Early Oligocene
 Cypress Hills Formation
 A Scolopacidae, type sp. P. bardi
 Phalacrocorax ibericum
 Sp. nov.
 valid?
 de Villalta Comella
 Late Miocene
 A Phalacrocoracidae
 Phoeniconotius
 Gen. et Sp. nov.
 valid
 Holmes Miller
 Early Miocene
 Etadunna Formation
 A Phoenicopteridae, type sp. P. eyrensis
 Phoenicopterus novaehollandiae
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Holmes Miller
 Early Miocene
 Etadunna Formation
 A Phoenicopteridae
 Podiceps dixi
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb
 Middle Pleistocene
 A Podicipedidae
 Probalearica crataegensis
 Gen. et Sp. nov.
 synonym
 Brodkorb
 Early Miocene
 Hawthorne Formation
 A Gruidae, syn of Balearica crataegensis
 Propelargus olseni
 Sp. nov.
 synonym
 Brodkorb
 Early Miocene
 Hawthorne Formation
 A Ciconiidae, syn of Grallavis olseni.
 Puffinus micraulax
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb
 Early Miocene
 Hawthorne Formation
 A Sulidae.
 Sula universitatis
 Sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb
 Early Miocene
 Hawthorne Formation
 A Sulidae.
 Titanis
 Gen et sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb
 Late Blancan-Early Irvingtonian
 A Phorusrhacidae. Type sp. T.  walleri
 Torotix clemensi
 Gen et sp. nov.
 valid
 Brodkorb
 Late Cretaceous
 Lance Formation
 Possibly a Pelecaniform, currently Aves Incertae Sedis.
 Totanus teruelensis
 Sp. nov.
 synonym
 de Villalta Comella
 Late Miocene
 A Laridae, syn of Larus teruelensis