While there are over 11,000 bird species in the world, only a select few grow to large sizes. Birds are measured by weight and wing span, so the bird with the biggest wingspan may not necessarily be the biggest. Other birds may weigh the most but not have the ability to fly. If you’re curious what species is the biggest bird in the world or other types of “big birds,” learn more here.
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How Do They Measure “Bigness”
Scientists consider several factors when measuring a bird’s size to determine which species is the biggest. Most often, they will measure its wingspan for flying birds or height and weight for flightless birds. These measurements come from preserved specimens in museums or, for extinct birds, measurements from fossils. After these measurements, scientists can determine which bird is the biggest based on both wingspan and weight.
The Biggest Bird in the World
The title of biggest bird in the world goes to the ostrich for both size and weight. The impressive birds grow up to nine feet tall and can weigh up to 287 pounds. They have a wingspan of up to seven feet, but ostriches are unable to fly due to their stocky build. Instead, their wings are used similarly to how a ship uses its sails. Running up to 43 miles per hour, ostriches open up their wings and use them as air rudders for rapid braking and steering. This helps them outmaneuver several threats on the African savanna, including lions and jackals.
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What is the Biggest Flying Bird?
The biggest flying bird in terms of their wingspan is the wandering albatross, which can reach up to 11 feet. Wandering albatrosses need to have such a large wingspan to help them catch the wind and soar over the ocean, as they can migrate up to nearly 7,500 miles in a year. The largest wingspan ever recorded for the wandering albatross was 11.9 feet, but there are some unconfirmed reports of wingspans of more than 12 feet.
What is the Largest Flying Bird by Weight?
The largest flying bird by weight is the kori bustard, which lives in grasslands and savannas in eastern and southern Africa. Male kori bustards weigh between 24-42 pounds, and females are roughly half the size of males, ranging from 12-21 pounds. The birds stand about five feet tall and have a wingspan of up to nine feet. Because the bird is quite heavy, the kori bustard uses a lot of energy to fly and will only take off when necessary.
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What is the Largest Bird Ever Recorded?
The largest bird ever recorded has been extinct for around 1,000 years. The elephant bird lived in Madagascar and was a species of flightless birds. They are thought to have been extinct due to human activity and were comprised of three species, one in the genus Mullerornis and two in Aepyornis. The biggest group in the elephant bird family was the Vorombe titan, which weighed up to 1,400 pounds and was a staggering ten feet tall.
Other Large Bird Breeds
Check out these other large bird breeds scattered across the world:
- Andean Condor: Wingspan 10 feet; Weight 33 pounds
- Greater Rhea: Wingspan 5 feet; Weight 88 pounds
- Dalmatian Pelican: Wingspan 12 feet; Weight 33 pounds
- Emperor Penguins: Wingspan 35 inches; Weight 99 pounds
- Marabou Stork: Wingspan 9 feet; Weight 20 pounds
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The biggest bird in the world comes down to many categories, often dictated by their biological evolution. While some birds have an extremely long wingspan, they have to be lighter to stay in the air longer and conserve energy for flight. Other birds may weigh a lot, but they often cannot fly, and if they do, it’s not for long distances. These adaptations have made each bird unique to their environment and continue to spark curiosity in the scientific world about how they function and live on Earth.
