Birds really are unique creatures who amaze us with their beauty, grace, lightness, and weightlessness. But in the world there are representatives of the cruise, which surprise with its size.
Their size is admirable and in this article, we will focus on the largest birds on the planet.
The biggest birds on earth
Now the world is counted from 9300 to 10070 species of birds.
We will consider some particularly large individuals, among this huge variety of birds:
- Archaeopteryx.
- An Emperor penguin.
- Steller’s sea eagle.
- Bustard.
- Grey crane.
- Dalmatian Pelican.
- Stork.
- Black vulture.
- Swan.
- The Andean Condor.
- Albatross.
- Cassowary.
- Ostrich.
What is the biggest bird in the world? The title of the largest feathered deservedly gets the ostrich, because its mass may be as much as one hundred and fifty pounds! Earlier, the owls were considered one species with EMU and Rhea, but soon the researchers decided to allocate these majestic birds in a separate group, and now ostriches are the only representatives of their species.
The height of the ostrich varies from half to two meters, however, the researchers met and larger individuals. Well-known and, undoubtedly, the interesting fact is that despite its huge size, the brain of the ostrich does not exceed the size of a walnut.
The musculature of the legs is very well developed, allowing them to reach up to about seventy kilometers per hour when running. Another feature is the even distribution of feathers of ostriches on their body. Interesting is duplicia the structure of the legs, which also allowed the bird to stand confidently on your feet and to move quickly.
Surprisingly, after the mother lays eggs, that the male begins incubation. Furthermore, the father does not forsake his family even after his hatching, and has been closely involved in the upbringing and protection of their children. It should be noted that the ostriches, if not fearless, very brave animals that will protect their offspring with their lives.
Ostriches eat almost everything, however, in the daily diet is still dominated by insects. Some people think the owls are so cowardly and stupid to bury your head in the sand during the approach of danger. This is not so. Brave birds immediately rush to the offender and protect yourself with powerful paws and sharp claws.
The second largest bird in the world
The name of this view in the language of the Papuans sounds like “cassowary”. Inhabited by these birds, referred to as the “horned head”, in New Guinea and Australia.
Fly cassowaries do not know, but are great runners. Their height can reach a meter and eighty centimeters. In rare cases, zoologists managed to capture the birds, whose height reached two meters, and weight exceeded sixty pounds.
They prefer to stay away from people and settlements, are rather secretive way of life and prefer to settle deep in the woods. Fortunately for us, the bird does not attack first, because of its claw-blade with first strike can kill a person.
However, there were several cases of attacks by cassowaries, but this was only for reasons of self-protection, protection of their territory or birds is governed by the desire to protect their Chicks.
Despite the fact that in the daily diet of the cassowary is dominated by plant foods, particularly fruits, don’t neglect these birds and animal food in the form of small animals and insects. Periodically they swallow small stones, which are required for the processing of food.
The largest sea bird
In the early twentieth century, scientists began a more detailed study of seabirds and, in particular, of albatrosses. As a result, all species were divided into two groups: Amsterdam and the Galapagos.
It is considered the largest Royal Albatross. Hard to imagine, but its wingspan can vary from three and a half to four metres! The weight of poultry is also quite large, about eleven pounds.
Interestingly, albatrosses are not accustomed to stay in one place and love to travel around the world. In order to understand it better, they build nests, as a kind of signs for navigation.
The same nest and raise Chicks, they are exclusively on the Islands of New Zealand, and the largest colony is located on the islet of Otago. The age of these birds is determined fairly easily, because unlike the rest of their winged cousins their feathers do not darken with age, but, on the contrary, lighter.
In the world there are many legends and myths that make reference to albatrosses. Sailors sincerely believe that meeting with the Albatross is an omen, because these birds are considered harbingers of bad weather and storm.
The biggest flying representatives
The existence of Andean Condor, people have learned more in the year 1555, when traveling in the mountains. They were surprised how high are the nests of these representatives of the cruise: the height at which was the nest can reach seven thousand meters.
These birds of prey, and their ability to hover at a great distance from earth, allowing the condors to spy out their prey for many miles around. The wingspan of these amazing creatures reaches three and a half meters.
The peculiarity of their structure is weaker muscles in the chest and the beating of wings as often as other birds, which allows the Andean Condor to not waste your energy soaring in the air currents, and to concentrate fully on production.
Like other vultures, this species does not shrink from eating carrion. They can fly over very long distances. For example, if a bird cannot find prey in close proximity, it is able to overcome the more than two hundred kilometers hunting.
Black vulture
It got its name from the colour of its plumage, which is dark brown. Wingspan can be about two and a half meters, and weight of adult specimens reaches twelve pounds.
Habitats of vultures is the southern part of Europe, North Africa and Central Asia. Surprisingly, their prey vultures can see from a distance of three kilometers, thanks to his extraordinarily keen eyesight. Interestingly, black vultures are those birds who have no idea about the sense of measures.
They can eat so much that then are not able to fly. But have nests of vultures are striking in their magnitude: they can be more than three meters in diameter and one meter in height. View birds in their house on high trees there and raise Chicks.
The population of these birds is growing continuously due to the fact that their size and ability to climb tall trees, protect birds and robbed them of their enemies.
Dalmatian Pelican
Is considered the most rare representative of the family pelikanova. Hard to imagine, but the weight of some specimens can reach twenty kilograms and the length of their beak is one and a half meters!
The beak is the main tool of Pelican foraging, as with it the bird is fishing well. An unusual fact is that despite his almost constant stay in the water, this bird is absolutely not suited for diving.
For this reason, hunt pelicans exclusively in shallow water. The representative of birds is also the main character in many myths and legends. As Muslims, moreover, believe Dalmatian pelicans sacred animals.
Cranes
Are the most common representatives of cranes and number of individuals are on the second place. As well as cranes deservedly considered one of the highest birds.
Their growth could reach slightly less than two meters, and in flight the wingspan is two meters. It’s amazing how ancient this winged. They appeared immediately after the disappearance of the dinosaurs, that is, about seventy million years ago.
For anybody not a secret that the cranes appear in many tales of Russian and Armenian peoples. As already mentioned, the cranes are very common and occur in all territories of the globe, except Antarctica and South America.
The biggest and the most beautiful
Each bird have been good, but among them there are those who tacitly acknowledged as the most attractive and graceful.
- Swans, of course, beautiful creatures, which is a symbol of loyalty and love. In addition, they and some of the larger birds. The largest of all species of Swan – mute Swan. It can weigh up to twelve pounds. Despite its noble and delicate appearance, swans are very strong. Their muscles are developed so well that these winged able to travel thousands of kilometers.
- Bustard – the largest flying birds, besides she has a memorable appearance. Its weight reaches twenty pounds, so it’s hard to imagine how the bird’s wings can lift such a weight. That is why the bustard flies pretty weird running around at the same time.
- Steller’s sea-eagle are not only large enough and doubtless beautiful but also considered the smartest bird in the world! This is justified by their ability to remember all their Chicks and the ability to plan the hunt. In the air birds can be long, only thirty minutes, and the rest of the time spend on the ground and the trees.
