Largest Birds In The World

1. AKA: Gold-necked cassowary, Single-wattled cassowary.
2. Scientific Name:  Casuarius unappendiculatus
3. Family:  Casuariidae
4. Species:  C. unappendiculatus
5. Speed: 50 km/h
6. Length: 149 cm
7. Mass: 

1. Male: 30 - 37 kg
2. Female: 58 kg

1. Wing Span:  150 cm
2. Life Span:40 - 60 years
3. Location: Northern and western New Guinea, the islands of Yapen, Salawati, and Batanta.
4. Diet:  Fruits and small animals.

Appearance: Blue facial skin, stiff black plumage and a casque on the head. It has a yellow or red colored wattle and neck. The feet are huge with a dagger-like claw on inner toe.

Facts:

1. It is a flightless bird.
2. As with other cassowaries, it is a shy bird.
3. It is a great swimmer.
4. The local people use it as a gift in ceremonies.
5. The feathers are used as decoration and bones are used as tools.

1. AKA: Grey rhea or American rhea.
2. Scientific Name:  Rhea americana
3. Family: Rheidae
4. Species: R. americana
5. Speed: 60 km/h
6. Length: 127 - 140 cm
7. Mass: 20 - 27 kg
8. Wing Span: 150 - 210 cm
9. Life Span: 15 years
10. Location: South America
11. Diet: Likes plants, fruits, and seeds, but also eats insects, lizards, small birds, and other small reptiles.

Appearance: Has gray and light brown feathers. The head, neck, rump, and thighs are feathered. Males are darker than females. The head and bill are fairly small. The legs are long.

Facts: 

1. It is the largest of all South American large birds.
2. If it feels there is a danger and it can’t defeat, it will fold its legs under itself and tuck down its head.

1. AKA: Great paauw
2. Scientific Name:  Ardeotis kori
3. Family: Otididae
4. Species: A. kori
5. Speed: 80 km/h in flight
6. Length:

1. Male: 120 - 150 cm
2. Female: 80 - 120 cm

1. Mass:

1. Male: 7 - 18 kg
2. Female: 5.62 - 5.9 kg

1. Wing Span:

1. Male: 230 - 275 cm
2. Female: 177 - 220 cm

1. Life Span: 26 - 28 years
2. Location: Africa to India to Australia.
3. Diet: Insects. Small vertebrates, bird eggs and chicks. Its diet also includes seeds, roots, flowers, berries, green leaves and wild melons.

Appearance: Mostly gray and brown. It has a large head and long legs. The chin and neck are white. The eye is pale yellow while the long bill is light greenish-horn colored.

Facts: 

1. It is usually very shy, running at the first sign of danger.
2. It is the most active in the first and last hours of daylight.
3. Unlike most birds that scoop water with their bills, it drinks water via sucking motion.
4. It is not a migratory bird.

1. AKA: Snowy albatross, White-winged albatross or Goonie.
2. Scientific Name: Diomedea exulans
3. Family: Diomedeidae
4. Species: D. exulans
5. Speed: 127 - 140 km/h
6. Length: 107 - 135 cm
7. Mass: 5.9 - 12.7 kg
8. Wing Span: 251 - 350 cm
9. Life Span:40 - 50 years
10. Location: Southern Ocean
11. Diet: Fish and other aquatic animals.

Appearance: Longer, hook-tipped bill. The adult has a white body with white and black wings. The wings of the male are whiter  than female with black tips and trailing edges. The large bill and feet are pink.

Facts:

1. It has the largest wingspan of any living bird.
2. It is night feeder.
3. It is known to practice a flying technique (dynamic soaring).
4. It is known to cover thousands of miles in a short amount of time.

1. AKA: Terre Adelie colony
2. Scientific Name:  Aptenodytes forsteri
3. Family: Spheniscidae
4. Species: A. forsteri
5. Speed: 6 - 9 km/h in water
6. Length: 110 - 130 cm
7. Mass: 22 - 45 kg
8. Wing Span: 76 - 89 cm
9. Life Span: 20 - 50 years
10. Location: Antarctica
11. Diet: Fish. Also eats crustaceans and cephalopods.

Appearance: The adult has deep and black dorsal feathers. The ear patches are bright yellow. The chicks are typically covered with silver-grey down and have white masks and blackheads.

Facts:

1. It is a flightless bird.
2. It breeds in the cold environment of any bird species.
3. It is a social animal that lives in colonies with other fellow beings.
4. It is an excellent swimmer.
5. It is the deepest diving bird in the world. Known to dive to depths of more than 500 meters.

1. AKA: Argentinean condor, Bolivian condor, Colombian condor, or Peruvian condor.
2. Scientific Name: Vultur gryphus
3. Family: Cathartidae  
4. Species: V. gryphus
5. Speed: 56 km/h in air
6. Length: 100 - 130 cm
7. Mass:

1. Male: 11 - 15 kg
2. Female: 8 - 11 kg

1. Wing Span: 270 - 320 cm
2. Life Span:50 years
3. Location: South America
4. Diet: It is a scavenger, feeding mainly on carrion.

Appearance: Its color is black with a ruff of white feathers. The head and neck are a dull red color and are nearly featherless. This bird has sharp, hooked bill and large feet with powerful claws.

Facts:

1. It is the national bird of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile.
2. It is a part of indigenous Andean religion.
3. It does not build nests.

1. AKA: Great Indian hornbill
2. Scientific Name: Buceros bicornis
3. Family: Bucerotidae
4. Species: B. bicornis
5. Speed: 30 km/h approximately
6. Length: 95 - 130 cm
7. Mass: 2.15 - 4 kg
8. Wing Span: 152 cm
9. Life Span: 50 years
10. Location: Africa and Southeast Asia.
11. Diet: Mostly feeds on fruits. The diet also includes insects, birds, small reptiles, and mammals.

Appearance: Dark eyes with prominent eyelashes. It has a long tail, broad wings, and large, curved bill. The body is black with a white neck, wing coverts and flight feathers.

Facts:

1. The sound produced by this bird in flight can be heard from a distance.
2. It is the state bird of Kerala, Arunachal, and Chin.
3. It is able to consume as many as 150 figs within one meal.

1. AKA: ­­  Cinereous vulture, Black vulture or Monk vulture.
2. Scientific Name: Aegypius monachus
3. Family: Accipitridae
4. Species: A. monachus
5. Speed: 48 km/h
6. Length: 98 - 120 cm
7. Mass:

1. Male: 6.3 to 11.5 kg
2. Female: 7.5 to 14 kg

1. Wing Span: 250 - 310 cm
2. Life Span:20 - 40 years
3. Location: Eurasia
4. Diet: Carrion of any type

Appearance: The skin of the head and neck is bluish-gray. Has a short, slightly wedge-shaped tail. The bare skin on the head and neck is blue-gray, and there is some blackish down on the head.

Facts:

1. It is associated with smooth, remote areas with limited human disturbance.
2. The tips of the wings show seven deeply splayed fingers during flight.
3. It rarely uses its voice.

1. AKA:

1. Male: Tom, Stag.
2. Female: Hen

1. Chicks: Poults or Turkeylings.
2. Scientific Name:  Meleagris gallopavo
3. Family: Meleagridinae
4. Species: M. gallopavo
5. Speed: 10 km/h
6. Length:

1. Male: 100 - 120 cm
2. Female: 76 - 95 cm

1. Mass:

1. Male: 5 - 11 kg
2. Female: 2.5 - 5.4 kg

1. Wing Span: 150 - 180 cm
2. Life Span: 1 - 10 years
3. Location: North America
4. Diet: Seeds, nuts, berries, fruits, and insects.

Appearance: The male has long tail feathers and a red throat. It is most commonly white but available in different colors.

Facts:

1. It is a social bird and become very distressed when isolated.
2. Because of its lower fat content, its white meat is generally considered healthier than dark meat.
3. It is farmed in large numbers across the western world because of its most popular meat to eat on celebrations.

1. AKA: Great Indian bustard
2. Scientific Name: Otis tarda
3. Family: Otididae
4. Species: O. tarda
5. Speed: 80 km/h in flight
6. Length:

1. Male: 115 cm
2. Female: 90 cm

1. Mass:

1. Male: 5.8 - 18 kg
2. Female: 3.1 - 8 kg

1. Wing Span:

1. Male: 210 - 270 cm
2. Female: 180 cm

1. Life Span:10 - 20 years
2. Location: Southern and central Europe, across temperate Asia.
3. Diet: Seeds, leaves, and insects, especially beetles.

Appearance: Has a gray head and neck. Long necks and strong legs.

Facts:

1. It has a stately, slow walk, but tends to run when disturbed rather than fly.
2. It can be strong flier, especially during seasonal movements.
3. The heaviest recorded Great Bustard weight is 21kg.

1. AKA: Guatemalan quetzal
2. Scientific Name:  Pharomachrus mocinno
3. Family: Trogonidae
4. Species: P. mocinno
5. Speed: It is a weak flyer.
6. Length: 100 - 105 cm
7. Mass: 0.2 - 0.225 kg
8. Wing Span: 40 - 50 cm
9. Life Span:20 - 25 years
10. Location: Central America
11. Diet: Fruits. Also includes insects, frogs, and lizards.

Appearance: It has a green body and red breast. It’s green upper tail coverts hide its tail. It has large eyes. Its skin is very thin and easily torn.

Facts:

1. It is considered the world’s most beautiful bird.
2. It is mostly found in vibrant colors.
3. It is the Guatemala’s national bird.
4. It is mentioned in several legends.
5. In Mesoamerican languages, its name also means ‘precious’,‘erected’ or ‘sacred’.

1. AKA: Hyacinthine macaw
2. Scientific Name:  Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus
3. Family: Psittacidae
4. Species: A. hyacinthinus
5. Speed: 56 km/h
6. Length: 100 cm
7. Mass: 1.2 - 1.7 kg
8. Wing Span: 39 - 43 cm
9. Life Span:50 years
10. Location: central and eastern South America.
11. Diet: Nuts and seeds.

Appearance: The feathers are entirely blue, and lighter above. However, the feathers of the neck can sometimes be slightly gray. Its tail is long and pointed.

Facts:

1. It is the largest parrot by a length in the world.
2. Its strong bill is even able to crack coconuts, macadamia nuts, and the large Brazil nut pods.
3. It is known to make an excellent pet.
4. It is a curious bird.
5. It is playful and is able to mimic the human voice very well.

1. AKA: Darwin's rhea, Suri, and Choique.
2. Scientific Name:  Rhea pennata
3. Family: Rheidae
4. Species: R. pennata
5. Speed: 60 km/h
6. Length: 92 - 100 cm
7. Mass: 15 - 28.6 kg
8. Wing Span: 152 cm
9. Life Span:20 - 40 years
10. Location: Patagonia and Altiplano in South America.
11. Diet: Grasses, herbs, fruits, insects and other small animals.

Appearance: It has a small head and a small bill. But has a long neck and long legs. Its feathers are similar to those of the ostrich. It has grayish-brown plumage, whitish on the underparts, with white spots on the back and wings.

Facts:

1. It is a flightless bird.
2. It is a good runner.
3. It lives in areas of open scrub.
4. It lives in groups of 5-30 individuals.
5. It has excellent eyesight and hearing.
6. It is a social creature.

1. AKA: American harpy eagle, Royal-hawk.
2. Scientific Name:  Harpia harpyja
3. Family: Accipitridae
4. Species: H. harpyja
5. Speed: 80.5 km/h
6. Length: 86.5 - 107 cm
7. Mass:

1. Male: 4 - 4.8 kg
2. Female: 6 - 9 kg

1. Wing Span: 176 - 224 cm
2. Life Span:25 - 35 years
3. Location: South America. Also found in areas of Central America and Mexico.
4. Diet: Other birds like macaws, reptiles like iguanas, and Mammals like sloths, opossums, and monkeys.

Appearance: The slate black feathers cover upper side, and the underside is mainly white. A fan of gray feathers crowns its head and a black band of plumage spans its neck.

Facts:

1. This species is largely silent away from the nest.
2. It is an actively hunting carnivore.
3. It is Panama’s national bird.
4. It is most closely related to the New Guinea harpy eagle and the crested eagle.

1. AKA: Woolly penguins
2. Scientific Name:  Aptenodytes patagonicus
3. Family: Spheniscidae
4. Species: A. patagonicus
5. Speed: 6.5 - 10 km/h in swimming
6. Length: 70 - 100 cm
7. Mass: 11 - 16 kg
8. Wing Span: 64 - 76 cm
9. Life Span:15 - 20 years
10. Location: Subantarctic islands
11. Diet: Small fish

Appearance: The chest and abdomen are bright white.  The back is a silver gray. Feet are black. Has long, thin, and dark bill. Female birds are slightly smaller than males.

Facts:

1. It is the second largest penguin in the world.
2. It is an outstanding swimmer.
3. It may make more than 100 dives per day and can dive up to 700 feet deep.
4. It is one of that few birds who do not build nests.

1. AKA: White-billed diver
2. Scientific Name:  Gavia adamsii
3. Family: Gaviidae
4. Species: G. adamsii
5. Speed: 96.5 km/h in flight
6. Length: 76 - 97 cm
7. Mass: 4 - 6.4 kg
8. Wing Span: 135 - 160 cm
9. Life Span:25 - 30 years
10. Location: Arctic Ocean. The coast of northwestern Norway and the northern Pacific Ocean.
11. Diet: Fish. It also eats crustaceans, annelids, and molluscs.

Appearance: Longer straw-yellow bill. Large loon upperparts  are white-spotted and black, underparts are white. It has glossy green-black head and black and white rings on the neck.

Facts:

1. It is the largest member of the loon family.
2. It is a powerful flier.
3. It is an expert diver, with record dives of 240 feet deep.
4. It is a family-oriented bird.

1. AKA: War eagle, Bird father, Mountain eagle.
2. Scientific Name:  Aquila chrysaetos
3. Family: Accipitridae
4. Species: A. chrysaetos
5. Speed: up to 190 km/h
6. Length: 66 - 102 cm
7. Mass:

1. Male: 3.6 kg
2. Female: 5.1 kg

1. Wing Span: 180 - 234 cm
2. Life Span:30 years or more
3. Location: Northern Hemisphere
4. Diet: It hunts, live prey and also eats carrion.

Appearance: Dark brown, with lighter golden-brown plumage on its nape. It has white markings on the wings. Adults are primarily dark brown in color.

Facts:

1. It is the national bird of Mexico.
2. It rarely makes a sound.
3. It usually nests on the cliff.

1. AKA: Victoria goura
2. Scientific Name:  Goura victoria
3. Family: Columbidae
4. Species: G. victoria
5. Speed: 60 km/h
6. Length: 73 - 75 cm
7. Mass: 3.5 kg
8. Wing Span: 74 cm
9. Life Span:up to 25 years
10. Location: New Guinea
11. Diet: Fruits, berries, and seeds as well as the occasional snail.

Appearance: It has a deep bluish-gray color with a small black mask. It has an elegant blue lace-like crest, red iris, and maroon breast.

Facts:

1. Its name recalls the British monarch, Queen Victoria.
2. When it takes flight, it makes a loud clapping sound.
3. It has a unique ability to produce milk (known as crop milk) for its child.
4. It has been widely hunted for its feathers and meat.

1. AKA: King of the gulls
2. Scientific Name:  Larus marinus
3. Family: Laridae
4. Species: L. marinus
5. Speed: 35 km/h
6. Length: 64 - 79 cm (Adult)
7. Mass:

1. Male: 1.8 kg
2. Female: 1.5 kg

1. Wing Span: 150 - 170 cm
2. Life Span: maximum 27 years
3. Location: Islands of the North Atlantic and European, and North American coasts.
4. Diet: Fish, berries, invertebrates, and much human waste.

Appearance: Has a white head, neck, and underparts. It is grayish-black on the wings and back. The bill is yellow with some red or orange near the tip of the lower bill and the legs are pinkish.

Facts:

1. It is the largest gull in the world.
2. It is highly predatory and frequently hunts any prey smaller than itself.
3. In the 1800s, its feathers were used for fashionable clothing.

1. AKA: European eagle-owl
2. Scientific Name:  Bubo bubo
3. Family: Strigidae
4. Species: B. bubo
5. Speed: 64 - 80 km/h
6. Length: 58 - 71 cm
7. Mass: 2.7 kg
8. Wing Span: 131 - 188 cm
9. Life Span:up to 60 years
10. Location: Eurasia
11. Diet: Rabbits and rodents. Also eats other raptors, foxes, and even roe deer.

Appearance: Has a barrel-shaped body. Wings and tail are barred. Eyes are orange and vivid. Ear-tufts are distinctive and prominent.

Facts:

1. It is the world's largest owl.
2. Most active at dawn and dusk.

1. AKA: Raven Floke
2. Scientific Name:  Corvus crassirostris
3. Family: Corvidae
4. Species: C. crassirostris
5. Speed: 40 - 90 km/h
6. Length: 64 cm
7. Mass: 1.5 kg
8. Wing Span: 115 - 130 cm
9. Life Span:up to 21 years
10. Location: Ethiopia
11. Diet: Grubs, dung, carrion, meat and human food.

Appearance: It has a very large and compressed black bill with a white tip. The bill is deeply curved that gives it a distinctive appearance.

Facts:

1. It is the largest songbird of the world.
2. It makes "raven raven" sound.

1. AKA: Stinkbird, or Canje pheasant.
2. Scientific Name:  Ophisthocomus Hoazin
3. Family: Opisthocomidae
4. Species: O. hoazin
5. Speed: Maximum 96 km/h
6. Length: 60 - 70 cm
7. Mass: 0.8 kg
8. Wing Span: 90 - 100 cm
9. Life Span:15 - 30 years
10. Location: Amazon and South America.
11. Diet: Leaves, flowers, and fruits.

Appearance: Unfeathered blue face with maroon eyes. A long neck and small head.

Facts:

1. It was described scientifically in 1776.
2. Baby Hoatzin is born with 3 claws on each wing.
3. Its digestive system ferments vegetation as a cow does.
4. It builds the nest over water.

1. AKA: Common toucan or Toucan.
2. Scientific Name:  Ramphastos toco
3. Family: Ramphastidae
4. Species: R. toco
5. Speed: 64 km/h
6. Length: 55 - 65 cm
7. Mass:

1. Male: 0.723 kg
2. Female: 0.576 kg

1. Wing Span: 22 - 26 cm
2. Life Span:12 - 20 years
3. Location: central and eastern South America.
4. Diet: Fruits, but also insects, eggs, chicks, frogs, and small reptiles.

Appearance: It has a mainly black body with a striking plumage, a white throat, chest and upper tail-coverts, and a huge bill.

Facts:

1. It is mostly seen in pairs or small groups.
2. It is a poor flyer.

1. AKA: Poor-me-ones
2. Scientific Name:  Nyctibius grandis
3. Family: Nyctibiidae
4. Species: N. grandis
5. Speed: Unknown
6. Length: 48 - 60 cm
7. Mass: 0.36 - 0.65 kg
8. Wing Span: 70 - 80 cm
9. Life Span: NA
10. Location: Tropical America
11. Diet: Large flying insects. Bats are taken occasionally as well.

Appearance: A large head and eyes with a brown to the yellow iris. It has a short and broad bill. Its wings are elliptical. The feather colors are white, black, gray, and burgundy.

Facts:

1. It is a rare bird.
2. It sleeps during the day and is only active at night.
3. It does lay a single egg, but place it in broken off stem or the nook of a branch.

I also like to have a bird as a pet.  My choice is Resplendent quetzal because of its beautiful appearance, vibrant colors, and voice.

Which one bird is your favorite?

If you think that something is missing or you have any suggestion about the above topic then comment bellow. It will be appreciated.