Wingspan of the largest bird in the world. Records in the world of birds. The heaviest flying bird

Birds are very interesting creatures, they are strikingly different from all other animals, and even from each other. Some birds spend almost their entire lives in the air, others are completely devoid of wings and feathers and can only run on the ground, while others prefer exclusively the water element...

The biggest bird

It `s naturally, . The largest individuals of the African ostrich reach a height of 2.80 meters and weigh 170 kilograms.

The smallest bird

This record belongs to. The smallest hummingbird weighs only 1.5 grams with a body length of about 5 centimeters.

Fastest flying bird

Among flying birds there are simply no equals. At a straight distance, the peregrine falcon can accelerate to 200 km/h, and in the so-called diving fall during a hunt, the feathered predator reaches speeds of up to 325 km/h. By the way, the peregrine falcon is not only the fastest bird, but also the fastest animal on the planet.

Fastest running bird

It's probably no secret that they are the best runners among all birds. They are capable of running at a speed of 80 km/h. With this type of running, an ostrich's stride can reach up to 8 meters in length.

The heaviest flying bird

Here the first place is shared between the great African and dudak. Surprisingly, these birds weigh 18-20 kg.

Longest living bird

Big yellow-crested cockatoo in captivity lives about 80 years. However, it is believed that under natural conditions the life expectancy of this parrot can be 100 years or more.

The sharpest vision

Second record. This bird has so much good eyesight, which can recognize a mouse from a distance of 8 kilometers.

Largest wingspan

U wandering albatross this figure is 3.6 meters. Slightly smaller wingspan Andean condor- a predator of the falcon family - 3 meters 20 centimeters.

Longest beak

Has the longest beak relative to body size sword-billed hummingbird. The length of the beak of this small bird can reach 10 cm, with a total length of 15 cm, i.e. their beak is 2 times longer than their body.

The highest flight

Here, in fact, it is very difficult to determine who is the real record holder for this parameter. Genuinely known cases first place belongs to to Rüppel's vulture, this bird flew at an altitude of more than 11 kilometers.

The most voracious bird

Cuban tody eats several thousand insects per day, total weight which is about 60-65% of the weight of the bird itself.

The fastest winged bird or the maximum number of beats per minute

Blue-tailed amazilia- another record-breaking bird from the hummingbird family, makes 80 wing beats per second.

Best Swimming Bird

Penguins are the best swimmers in the bird world. Stands out more than other species emperor penguin- he swims at a speed of 36 km/h, and, incredibly, he can dive to a depth of almost 500 meters.

The hardiest bird

Arctic duck able to withstand temperatures of -110 degrees Celsius. This makes it not only the hardiest member of the bird family, but also the hardiest animal in general.

The loudest bird

Indian peacock screams so loudly (and also ugly) that it can be heard several kilometers away.

Largest number of feathers

U swan more than 25 thousand feathers.

The most poisonous bird

Yes, birds can be poisonous too! The most dangerous are representatives of the genus pitoui. The entire body and feathers are saturated with one of the most dangerous toxins in the world - homobatrachotoxin. This poison is deadly even to humans.

Birds are unique and funny creations of nature. They are beautiful, colorful, weightless. However, there are also some large and gigantic birds that will amaze you with their size and structure. More than 90% of birds are small and fly easily and quickly, but the remaining 10% are incredibly large. This includes both flying and non-flying bird species. Here are the ten largest birds in the world.

10. Wandering Albatross

It is a fairly large bird that reaches a length of up to 117 cm. This bird is native to the northern Pacific and Southern oceans. There are about 24 in total in the world various types albatrosses, of which the wandering albatross is the largest. It weighs up to 12 kg and feeds on squid and fish. Also drinks a large number of salt water. Most of its time, this giant glides among the ocean winds and floats on the surface of the water. Thus, it is difficult to find on land. During the breeding season, these albatrosses form colonies on various outlying islands.

9. Mute swan

This aquatic bird easily grows to 180 cm and usually weighs between 8 and 13 kg (individuals can weigh up to 22.5 kg), making it one of the ten largest birds in the world. The mute swan is very beautiful, sleek and has a long neck. It helps birds find food under the surface of the water, since these swans mainly feed on insects, aquatic vegetation, and also small fish. Their wingspan is up to 240 cm. These birds are a little aggressive, but very smart. They are good at remembering people who take care of them or feed them.

8. Dalmatian Pelican

Native to South Asia and Europe, the Dalmatian pelican is considered one of the oldest as well as heaviest flying birds on earth. It grows up to 180 cm in length, and weighs about 14 kg. This pelican also has a huge wingspan that reaches 3.4 m. In terms of their appearance, they have similar characteristics to great white pelicans. However, they are comparatively larger than their relatives. The Dalmatian pelican has the second largest beak in the world, its length is up to 50 cm. These birds feed mainly on fish and other sea ​​inhabitants. They can easily consume about 2 kg of fish per day. They love eel, carp, catfish, and perch.

7. Andean Condor

This member of the vulture family ranks seventh among the world's ten largest birds. The Andean condor's large wings help it fly by balancing the weight of its body. Wingspan up to 3 meters, weight - up to 15 kg, body length - 1.2 meters and more. Just like other vultures, these condors feed on carrion, as well as domestic animals. They're enjoying themselves dead fish and dead seals along coastline. They hunt eggs in the nests of other birds. Today it has the status of an endangered species. Can live up to 75 years.

6. African Great Bustard

The African great bustard is very huge, its weight reaches 18-20 kg. Their huge size does not prevent them from flying, which is why these birds are considered the largest flying birds in the world. These giants eat snakes, insects, seeds, berries, and lizards as their main diet. African great bustard conducting most of his time on earth, in search of food.

5. Greater or northern rhea

Large flightless bird, which is endemic to South America and reaches a length of 140 cm. The large rhea weighs up to 27 kg. The bird has very large wings, which it uses to balance its body while moving and also to change direction while running. They feed on various insects, small birds, and lizards. Large rheas have long and powerful legs, which they use as protection. IN mating season the male mates with several females, and all the eggs are laid in one place. Thus, it is possible to find more than 50 eggs in one nest. Average duration The life of this bird is 10 years.

4. Emperor Penguin

The natives of Antarctica weigh about 45 kg and are therefore also among the ten largest birds in the world. These penguins have the ability to travel up to 80 km in search of food. It is also interesting that they can dive to a depth of 450 m. Their main diet includes squid, krill, and fish. Males show a lot of attention to females during mating, and also take care of the eggs. Average life expectancy emperor penguin V wildlife up to 20 years. However, if conditions are ideal, the penguin can live up to 50 years. The front part of the emperor penguin's body is covered with waterproof feathers.

3. Emu

The emu is a flightless bird native to Australia that weighs up to 60 kg. The emu has a length of 150-190 cm and is mainly considered a resident forest areas, savannas and other wooded areas. The main diet of these birds consists of seeds, fruits, plants, lizards, and some insects. These birds may also swallow pebbles. They have very long legs, and this is the reason why these birds can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h while running. The breeding season is in winter. An emu egg weighs up to 500 g and is dark green in color.

2. Helmeted, or southern cassowary

The ten largest birds in the world are represented by the southern cassowary, which is considered the second largest bird in the world. It can be seen in tropical forests Australia and Indonesia. This is a wingless bird that reaches a height of up to 1.5 m and weighs up to 80 kg. The legs of cassowaries are very powerful and thick, which allows the bird to run at a speed of 48 km/h. The main diet of these birds consists of grass, insects, and mushrooms. The female southern cassowary lays eggs during the summer season.

1.Ostrich

The ostrich takes first place among the ten largest birds in the world. At the same time, the ostrich is also the heaviest bird. An adult representative easily reaches a weight of 150 kg and has a height of up to 270 cm. The ostrich is also the most fast bird, his maximum speed when running 70 km/h. Native to Africa, today ostriches are primarily found in regions of Australia, feeding on fruits, flowers, seeds, shrubs, and small insects. Another one interesting feature The great thing about these birds is that they can live without water for several days. They are long and strong legs, which help them defend themselves from enemies. Ostriches mostly live in groups containing 10 to 50 birds .

If you find an error, please highlight a piece of text and click Ctrl+Enter.

It turned out to be not so easy to rank the largest birds. What criterion should be taken as a basis? Height? Weight? Wingspan? The problem is that there are birds that are tall but skinny, or small but fat; With on a gigantic scale wings, but light, or worse - large and heavy, but not flying. In this article, attempts are made to compile a top list, taking into account all these parameters.
10th place Emperor Penguin

The emperor penguin is the largest of the penguin family. Some individuals reach a height of 122 cm and weigh 40-45 kg. Naturally, they live in the ice of Antarctica, but this species sometimes swims to the mainland.

9th place Steller's sea eagle

Wingspan Steller's sea eagle reaches 2.5 meters, and a height of 105-110 cm, with a weight of only 8-9 kg. This bird can only be seen on Far East, it is listed in the Red Book and is protected by law, since the number of this species has decreased to 7,500 individuals and is in danger of complete extinction.

8th place Bustard

The heaviest of the flying birds can be considered the bustard, whose habitat is the steppes of Eurasia. Its weight reaches 20 kg with a height of 110 cm. The bustard flies thanks to the ability to masterly capture air currents, which is greatly facilitated by a wingspan of 190-250 cm. However, despite this, its take-off can hardly be called an instant soaring upward; rather, it resembles a take-off heavy liner.

7th place Crane

In seventh place it flaunts people's favorite, the hero of many fairy tales and songs is the crane. This bird grows up to 180-190 cm, weighs 8-9 kg, and its wingspan can exceed 2 meters. Few people know that cranes appeared at the end of the era of dinosaurs, so it is not surprising that they can be found everywhere, except South America and Antarctica.

6th place Dalmatian pelican

Dalmatian pelicans are one of the largest waterfowl. Adults can reach 180 cm (including an almost half-meter beak) and weigh 14 kg. It is noteworthy that due to the structural features of their paws, these birds cannot dive, and therefore prefer to hunt in shallow water.

5th place Black vulture

The black vulture, whose wingspan reaches 2.5 meters with a height of 120-135 cm, settles mainly in the mountainous part of Southern Europe, North Africa, Front and Central Asia. The main part of this bird's diet is carrion, which it looks for while hovering in the air. Because vultures have very weak legs, they are unable to carry away prey, so they have to absorb large amounts of food right where they find it. And I must say, sometimes they eat up to 14 kg.

4th place Swan

It was impossible not to mention in this rating the graceful migratory beauties - swans, which at especially favorable times for fishing can reach a weight of 15 kg. And the wingspan is also impressive - 2 meters, and sometimes more.

3rd place Albatross

The largest flying bird is considered to be the wandering albatross, an inhabitant of south seas. Although their body size is not very impressive, their wingspan is truly enormous, reaching 3.5 meters. In addition, the albatross is horrible dream superstitious sailors who believe that the appearance of these birds portends a storm.

2nd place Cassowary

The cassowary is the largest bird in Australia and New Guinea, and the second largest in the world. Having a height of 2 meters and a weight of 60 kg, she cannot fly, but compensates for this deficiency with the ability to accelerate to 50 km/h. The bird received this name, which has Papuan roots and means “horned head,” due to the growth on its forehead, which is now called a helmet.

1st place Ostrich

Of course, only the ostrich, the largest flightless bird, can be in first place in the ranking. His height reaches 2.7 meters, and his weight is 130 kg. It is not surprising that he cannot lift such weight into the air, but he runs quickly, accelerating up to 70 km/h. This is not the only thing that makes the ostrich interesting. Its eyes are the largest in the animal kingdom, and they weigh more than its brain. It is quite possible that the bird sees better than it thinks. Although, why think if you can run fast?

Sometimes you're amazed how rich you are animal world on our planet! Take birds for example: there are more than 10,000 species of them on Earth! Antarctica or hot tropics, deserts, islands and continents - representatives of this species can be found everywhere. Of course, they all differ in lifestyle, size, feather color and many other factors. What do the most look like? big birds on the ground?

Ostrich - record holder for size

The largest bird in the world is, of course, the African ostrich. Ironically, this bird cannot fly, but it has the largest bird size on the planet - a height of about 2.5 meters and a weight of up to 170 kilograms. In addition, ostriches have the most big eyes of all land creatures on the planet and just a huge beak.

These “birds” live in arid Africa and the Middle East; most often they can be found on the open savannah. The bird is omnivorous and will not refuse plant food, and from small rodents or insects. And to make food easier to digest, ostriches, like all birds, swallow small pebbles.

By the way, ostriches almost became an extinct species because of their valuable meat. The situation was saved by ostrich farms, which can now be found all over the world.

The owner of the largest wings

Size is, of course, good, but wingspan is equally important. And first place is awarded to the royal and wandering albatrosses - as the owners of the largest wingspan, which is 3.7 meters. In other birds it is much smaller. Such huge wings are explained by the fact that albatrosses spend most of their time flying over the sea, hunting fish. This means that these large birds have to cover enormous distances every day. By the way, albatross flight is always soaring.

And the wings themselves, in addition to their size, are also very hard, narrow and arched. Albatrosses also have a strong beak, curved towards the end. You can meet this record holder anywhere, from the shores of Australia or America to Antarctica.

Harpy is a real predator

But the harpy is rightfully considered the largest bird of prey. In total, there are three types of them in nature: New Guinea, Guiana and South American large - it is also the largest on the planet. The wingspan of a harpy can reach 220 cm, and its weight can be 12 kilograms. You can meet this “beauty” in the tropical forests of America.

The harpy has very sharp and long claws - up to 13 centimeters in length. Such a weapon allows her to hunt large animals: sloths, opossums, some birds (macaws, toucans). In addition, these predators have very acute vision: at a distance of 200 meters they can spot a small coin! And a speed of 80 km/h makes these large birds real killing machines.

Harpies are an endangered bird species that is protected. Now there are very few of them left: less than 50,000 individuals worldwide.

This is one of the largest birds in the world and belongs to the hawk family. The length of his body is 78-96 cm, which undoubtedly classifies him as a giant. Average weight a martial eagle weighs 5 kilograms, and its wingspan is up to 220 centimeters. It can only be found in the deserts of Africa, where it stands out from other birds with its interesting color: brown plumage and a white belly. The main weapons are sharp claws, strong muscles and a powerful beak.

It feeds mainly on small animals: lizards, snakes or monitor lizards. The martial eagle will not disdain a goat, sheep or even a dog. Therefore, real roundups are carried out on these birds so that they do not reduce the number of livestock. By the way, these large predators No natural enemies, except for a person.

Handsome eagle

Another representative of the hawk family is rightfully considered one of the largest birds of prey on the planet. This is a Steller's sea eagle. It is named so for a reason - it’s all due to its brown and white plumage, which is why the bird’s shoulders are really white. Among his fellow eagles, he is considered a real heavyweight, because his body weight is 9 kilograms.

You can meet the Steller's sea eagle in northeast Asia, Japan or America. It mainly settles along the coasts, where it feeds on hares, young seals or carrion. He won’t disdain fish either. By the way, it is listed in the Red Book of Russia.

Majestic vulture

Another representative of hawks makes it onto this list. The American long-eared vulture can weigh up to 14 kilograms and has a wingspan of almost 3 meters, making it one of the largest birds on earth. In addition, this large bird is spectacularly different from other vultures in its bright color: dark brown plumage, black tail, light orange head and bluish-gray legs. And the neck of the vulture has skin blades that look a little like an ear. Hence its name - long-eared vulture.

The long-eared vulture lives only in Africa, sometimes found on the Arabian Peninsula. It feeds mainly on carrion. But it won’t be easy to see the long-eared vulture: basically these birds soar at an altitude of 4000 meters in search of prey.

By the way, among the owl family there are many large birds. One of them is the barred fish owl, so named because of its mottled plumage. Its weight is on average 3 kilograms, and its wingspan can reach 150 centimeters. Found throughout Africa.

Like all owls, it hunts at dusk. The main prey of the barred fish owl is, of course, fish, as well as small crocodiles, frogs, crabs and mussels. Since its prey lives underwater, the owl does not need acute hearing. Consequently, its facial disc is very poorly developed, and it is difficult for the fish owl to determine the direction of sound.

The barred fish owl lays only two eggs per year, of which only one chick survives.

This representative of hawks is not only one of the largest birds on the planet, but also the most large eagle on the ground. It lives mainly in the mountains; it is impossible to meet it in other places - the golden eagle avoids humans. The wingspan of the golden eagle varies from 180 to 240 centimeters, and the weight can reach 7 kilograms (females are usually larger than males). Also has an extraordinary sharp vision, a strong curved beak and a speed of 320 km/h, which makes it an ideal hunter.

It feeds mainly on animals: hares, sheep, fawns. It builds nests on high ledges, where humans cannot reach. Like the fish owl, the golden eagle's offspring consists of two eggs, only one survives. Due to human intervention in its habitat, the golden eagle is listed in the Red Book.

Bearded Man or Lamb

It just so happens that almost all of the largest birds of prey on earth belong to the hawk family. The bearded vulture is no exception. It got its name from the tuft of feathers that form a small beard. But he acquired the nickname “Lamber” because of the superstitions of shepherds that this predator hunts exclusively lambs. This is not true, the bearded man prefers carrion.

Its weight can reach 7 kilograms. Lives mainly in southern Europe and is considered the rarest predator on these lands. Feeds very in an interesting way: Having found carrion, it tries to get to the bone marrow. And to do this, the bearded man throws bones on the rocks. In the same way he hunts turtles.

The Eurasian eagle owl is the largest owl on earth. The weight of an eagle owl can reach 5 kilograms, and its wingspan can be up to 190 centimeters. Found everywhere: North America, Europe and Asia. He has the finest hearing, can recognize a frequency of 2 Hz (a person can hear at least 16 Hz).

There are many superstitions associated with this bird. For example, among the Mayan tribe this large bird was considered magical. Ancient people believed that at dusk the eagle owl brings dead Souls to the ground. In India, the Eurasian eagle owl was a messenger from the underworld, and in China it was a symbol of death and horror.

Despite these legends, the Eurasian eagle owl leads a typical owl lifestyle: at dusk it goes hunting and sleeps during the day.

By the way, sometimes the Eurasian eagle owl is used as a bird of prey, but it is very difficult to train it.

Now you know which birds are rightfully called the largest on earth. It is not difficult to agree that these beauties and giants are worthy of respect and admiration.