Ten of the largest birds on the planet

Learn more about the lives of some of the largest birds in the world.

 

Some of the world's largest birds can tower over an NBA player in height and spread their wings to cover an entire king-sized mattress.

 

There is a wide range of sizes and shapes among the almost 10,000 bird species on Earth, from the small bee hummingbird to the huge ostrich. You'll find ten of the largest birds below, including the world's tallest, heaviest, and most wing-spreading species.

 

The Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja)

 

Some of the largest birds on Earth are harpy eagles, given their name after the legendary human-bird hybrid of Greek mythology. When comparing weights, these dark-grey birds are among the largest species of an eagle on Earth. The San Diego Zoo reports that females can reach a weight of 20 pounds (9 kilograms) as an adult, while males reach a maximum of 12 pounds (5.4 kg). The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that a fully grown bald eagle male can weigh up to 14 pounds (6 kilograms) (opens in new tab). These birds seek food over South America at great heights, using their great wing span of 6.5 feet (2 meters) to keep them in the air. The San Diego Zoo says that harpy eagles can fly up to 50 miles per hour (80 kilometers per hour) when they swoop down on their porcupine, deer, or opossum prey with their 5-inch (13-centimeter) claws to deliver a fatal blow.

 

A bird that wanders (Diomedea exulans)

 

In terms of wing span, this is the largest bird in the world. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature reports that the wingspan of these seabirds can reach over 11 feet (3.35 meters) (IUCN). Because of their large wings, these albatrosses can stay in the air for extended periods; for example, one bird was tracked flying 3,700 miles (6,000 kilometers) in just 12 days.

 

There are 23 different species of albatross, but 22 of them are in danger of going extinct soon. As the birds try to steal fish and squid bait from passing boats and trawlers, they frequently become entangled in fishing gear.

 

The ostrich (Struthio camelus)

 

Undoubtedly, the ostrich is the largest and heaviest of all birds on Earth. According to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, these monstrous birds can reach a height of 9 feet (2.7 meters) and a weight of 287 pounds (130 kilograms). Ostriches can't fly even though their wingspan can reach up to 2 meters (7 feet). Instead, they use the air currents they make by flapping their wings like how sails work on a ship.

 

These birds can sprint up to 43 miles per hour by opening their wings and using them as air-rudders, a technique that allows them to brake and turn quickly. This skill helps them avoid capture by predators like lions and jackals, two of the many dangers they confront in the African savanna. According to PBS Nature, ostriches will sometimes take the initiative and attack, striking with a strike strong enough to kill a lion with their enormous clawed feet.

 

Expanded Rhea (Rhea americana)

 

Despite looking like baby strutting ostriches, Rhea is the ostrich's South American relative. At only roughly one-sixth of the size of an adult ostrich, rhea may weigh an astonishing 66 pounds (30 kilograms) and grow up to 5 feet tall (1.5 meters), according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. Rhea is a flightless bird, which like ostriches, utilizes its wings as balance aids while sprinting at high speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, according to the Houston Zoo. Female rhea lay up to 40 eggs per breeding season, but the males of the species will indicate the eggs for roughly 30 days before they hatch.

 

Casuarius casuarius (Casuarius casuarius) (Casuarius casuarius)

 

Regarding the avian inhabitants of New Guinea and Australia, the southern cassowary is among the most relict-like. According to the Australian Museum, cassowaries are among the world's tallest birds. A casque, a large helmet composed of keratin (the same protein found in human hair and nails), crowns their heads. Cassowaries utilize these helmets to push aside plants as they race through the forest, according to the Edinburgh Zoo. In addition to being one of the largest bird species, they also have a fearsome reputation. According to Scientific American, the cassowary is one of only a handful of bird species known to have murdered humans. It does so by slashing at its prey with a sharp 3-toed foot that features a middle toe that is 4 inches (10 centimeters) long.

 

Pelecanus dalmaticus (Pelecanus crispus)

 

The Dalmatian pelican is the largest pelican species and is among the world's largest flying birds. The Arizona Center for Nature Conservation reports that these pelicans, with a wing span of around 11 feet (three meters), can fly to more than 10,000 feet (3,000 meters). Dalmatian pelicans have a large appetite to match their large wings. According to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, an adult pelican can eat up to 1.8 kilos (4 pounds) of fish daily. This quantity of fish is collected by Dalmatian pelicans by diving into the sea and scooping it up with their big bill pouches. When a fish is caught in a pelican's beak, the bird will tilt its head forward to drain the fish's juices before swallowing.

 

rex (Balaeniceps rex)

 

One of Africa's oddest and tallest birds, the shoebill is also known as a whale-headed stork. According to the Animal Diversity Web, these peculiar storks reach about 5 feet (1.5 meters) and spend their time wading through freshwater swamps and marshes, searching for fish and other small aquatic creatures. Shobills are successful in roughly 60% of their hunting attempts, striking their prey fatally into the water. These birds never get together, and their territories are usually about 1 square mile (3 square kilometers) in size.

 

The Great Bustard (Otis tarda)

 

According to the RSPB, great bustards are not just the largest land bird in Europe but also in Central Asia, Russia, and Morocco (opens in new tab). Males can weigh up to 31 pounds (14 kilograms) and stand approximately 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall, making them a viable target for hunters despite their size. As a result, according to BirdLife International, their numbers have steadily declined over the years (with 30% of the global population disappearing since the 1960s), and they have vanished entirely from some countries, including the United Kingdom. The last great bustard was killed in 1832 in the United Kingdom, but thanks to a successful reintroduction in 2004, the country is now home to a thriving colony of more than 100 birds.

 

A king among penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri)

 

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) reports that the emperor penguin is the largest of the world's 18 penguin species. They average about 88 pounds (40 kilograms) and 4 feet (1.2 meters) in height, but these measurements vary greatly from year to year. According to the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment, these flightless birds survive the frigid Antarctic winter by using their fat reserves and numerous layers of scale-like feathers that can endure winds of up to 68 miles per hour before they ruffle. Emperor penguins use their insulation to snuggle together in colonies to reduce heat loss by half and generate a temperature of more than 75 °F (24 °C) within the huddle.

 

The Vultur gryphus (Vultur gryphus)

 

The San Diego Wildlife Alliance claims that at 10.5 feet (3.2 meters), the Andean condor has the second-largest bird wingspan behind the white-tailed eagle (opens in new tab). Welsh Mountain Zoo reports that these birds can soar to altitudes of up to 18,000 feet (5,500 meters), which is more than enough to reach the Andes Mountains. A wide wing span allows these birds to glide around the world on the wind current effortlessly. Like many other vulture species, the Andean condor is mostly a scavenger, feeding on the carcasses of sick or dead animals. The San Diego Wildlife Alliance estimates that a bald eagle may consume roughly 15 pounds (6.8 kilograms) of carrion (dead or decaying flesh) in a single meal. According to the Wildlife Conservation Society of Peru, the Andean condor can live up to 80 years if kept in captivity, but only 50 in the wild.

 

Supplemental Materials

 

The websites of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Birds of the World, and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List are excellent resources for learning more about birds from all over the world. Read Douglas J. Futuyma's "How Birds Evolve: What Science Reveals About Their Origin, Lives, and Diversity" and John Reilly's "The Ascent of Birds: How Modern Science Is Revealing Their Story" for further information on bird evolution.

Reference : https://www.livescience.com/biggest-birds-on-earth

Image source : https://pixabay.com/id/vectors/burung-yang-bermigrasi-burung-burung-157638/

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