The largest extant species of bird measured by mass is the common ostrich (Struthio camelus), closely followed by the Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes). A male ostrich can reach a height of and weigh up to , A mass of has been cited for the ostrich but no wild ostriches of this weight have been verified.Avian Medicine: Principles and Application . avianmedicine.net Ostrich eggs are the largest of any living bird, averaging .
The largest wingspan of any extant bird is that of the wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) of the Sub-Antarctic oceans. The largest dimensions found in this species are an approximate head-to-tail length of and a wingspan of .
The largest bird of all time was likely the elephant bird Aepyornis maximus, which was estimated to have weighed and stood at tall.
The largest wingspan of any bird likely belonged to Pelagornis sandersi at roughly 6.1-7.4m (20-24 ft).
Largest extinct birds
Table of heaviest extinct bird species RankBinomial nameMass estimate [kg (lb)]FamilyOrderGeological age1Aepyornis maximusDickison, Michael R. (2007). The Allometry of Giant Flightless Birds. Dissertation, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/200.Aepyornithidae (greater elephant birds)Aepyornithiformes (elephant birds)Late Pleistocene-Holocene2Dromornis stirtoniDromornithidae (mihirungs)Anseriformes (waterfowl)Late Miocene3Pachystruthio dmanisensisStruthionidae Struthioniformes (ostriches)Pliocene- Early Pleistocene4Brontornis burmeisteriBrontornithidae (thunderbirds)Anseriformes(waterfowl)Early Miocene5Pachystruthio indetStruthionidae Struthioniformes (ostriches)Early Pleistocene6Dromornis planeiMurray, P. F. & Vickers-Rich, P. (2004)Dromornithidae (mihirungs)Anseriformes (waterfowl)Middle Miocene7Genyornis newtoniDromornithidae (mihirungs)Anseriformes (waterfowl)Late Pleistocene8Struthio oldawayiStruthionidaeStruthioniformes (ostriches)Pleistocene9Struthio anderssoniStruthionidaeStruthioniformes (ostriches)Late Pleistocene- Holocene10Dromornis murrayiDromornithidae (mihirungs)Anseriformes (waterfowl)Late Oligocene-Early Miocene11Aepyornis hildebrandtiAepyornithidae (greater elephant birds) Aepyornithiformes (elephant birds)Late Pleistocene-Holocene12Dromornis australisDromornithidae (mihirungs)Anseriformes (waterfowl)Pliocene13Gastornis giganteusGastornithidaeAnseriformes (waterfowl)Eocene14Dinornis sp.Dinornithidae (giant moa)Dinornithiformes (moa)Late Pleistocene-Holocene15Paraphysornis brasilienisPhorusrhacidae (terror birds)CariamiformesEarly Miocene16Ilbandornis woodburneiDromornithidae (mihirungs)Anseriformes (waterfowl)Late Miocene17Devincenzia pozziTambussi, C. P., & Degrange, F. J. (2013). The dominance of zoophagous birds: just a cliché?. In South American and Antarctic Continental Cenozoic Birds (pp. 87–102). Springer, Dordrecht.Phorusrhacidae (terror birds)CariamiformesNeogene18Ilbandornis lawsoniDromornithidae (mihirungs)Anseriformes (waterfowl)Late Miocene19TitanisPhorusrhacidae (terror birds)CariamiformesPliocene-Early Pleistocene20Gastornis parisiensisEric Buffetaut und Delphine Angst: "Stratigraphic distribution of large flightless birds in the Palaeogene of Europe and its palaeobiological and palaeogeographical implications". Earth-Science Reviews. 32 (2), 2014, S. 394–408.GastornithidaeAnseriformes (waterfowl)Eocene21Gargantuavis philoinosGargantuaviidaeAvialaeLate Cretaceous22Palaeeudyptes klekowskiiSpheniscidaeSphenisciformes (penguin)Eocene23Kelenken guillermoiPhorusrhacidae (terror birds)CariamiformesMiddle Miocene24Phorusrhacos longissmusDegrange, F. J., Noriega, J. I., & Areta, J. I. (2012). Diversity and paleobiology of the Santacrucian birds. Early Miocene paleobiology in Patagonia: high-latitude paleocommunities of the Santa Cruz Formation, 138–155.Phorusrhacidae (terror birds)CariamiformesMiocene25Mullerornis modestusMullerornithidae (lesser elephant birds) Aepyornithiformes (elephant birds) Late Pleistocene-Holocene26Pachyornis elephantopusEmeidae (lesser moa)Dinornithiformes (moa)Late Pleistocene-Holocene27Argentavis magnificensTeratornithidae (teratorn)Cathartiformes (New World vultures)Miocene28Barawertornis tedfordiDromornithidae (mihirungs)Anseriformes (waterfowl)Late Oligocene-Early Miocene29Mesembriornis milneedwardsiEarly Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia: High-Latitude Paleocommunities of Patagonia" , geredigeerd door Sergio F. Vizcaíno, Sergio F. Vizcno, Richard F. Kay en M. Susana BargoPhorusrhacidae (terror birds)CariamiformesPliocene30Pachyornis australisMeat Weights and Nutritional Yield Values for New Zealand ArchaeofaunaEmeidae (lesser moa)Dinornithiformes (moa)Late Pleistocene-Holocene31Emeus crassusEmeidae (lesser moa)Dinornithiformes (moa)Late Pleistocene-Holocene32Euryapteryx curtusEmeidae (lesser moa)Dinornithiformes (moa)Late Pleistocene-Holocene33Megalapteryx didinusMegalapterygidae (upland moa)Dinornithiformes (moa) Late Pleistocene-Holocene34Anomalopteryx didiformisEmeidae (lesser moa)Dinornithiformes (moa)Late Pleistocene-Holocene35Sylviornis neocaledoniaeSylviornithidae (giant megapodes)Galliformes (landfowl)Late Pleistocene-Holocene36Eremopezus eocaenusAmadon (1947), Rasmussen et al. (1987, 2001) EremopezidaeEocene37Pezophaps solitariaColumbidaeColumbiformes (doves and pigeons)Holocene 38Pachyornis geranoidesEmeidae (lesser moa)Dinornithiformes (moa)Late Pleistocene-Holocene39Patagornis marshiPhorusrhacidae (terror birds)CariamiformesMiocene40Pelagornis sandersiPelagornithidae Odontopterygiformes (pseudotooth birds)Oligocene
Largest extant birds Table of heaviest extant bird species The following table is a list of the heaviest extant bird species sorted by average weight, with maximum reported or reliable mass also given for comparison. The highest ranks are almost all flightless birds, having denser bones and heavier bodies. Flightless birds comprise less than 1% of all extant bird species.
Rank Common name Binomial name Average mass[kg (lb)] Maximum mass[kg (lb)] Average total length[cm (ft)] Flighted 1 North African ostrichStruthio camelus camelus del Hoyo, et al., Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Ostrich to Ducks. Lynx Edicons (1992), No 2 Somali ostrich Struthio molybdophanes No 3 Southern cassowary Casuarius casuarius No 4 Northern cassowary Casuarius unappendiculatus No 5 Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae No 6 Emperor penguin Aptenodytes forsteri Marion, Remi, Penguins: A Worldwide Guide. Sterling Publishing Co. (1999), No 7 Greater rhea Rhea americana No 8 Dwarf cassowary Casuarius bennetti No 9 Lesser rhea Rhea pennata No 10 King penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus (wild) No 11 Kori bustardArdeotis kori Yes 12 Andean condorVultur gryphus del Hoyo, J; Elliot, A; Sargatal, J (1996). Handbook of the Birds of the World 3. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. . Yes 13 Trumpeter swanCygnus buccinator Yes 14 Mute swanCygnus olor Yes 15 Eurasian black vultureAegypius monachus Kim, J. T., Park, C. M., Kim, Y. J., & Pak, I. C. (2007). Survey on the actual injured condition and wintery ecology of Black vulture (Aegypius monachus). Korean Journal of Veterinary Service, 30(3), 467-472. Yes 16 Dalmatian pelicanPelecanus crispus Yes 17 Whooper swanCygnus cygnus Yes 18 Wandering albatrossDiomedea exulans Wood, Gerald (1983). The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats. . Yes19Southern royal albatrossDiomedea epomophoraYes 20 Red-crowned craneGrus japonensis Yes 21 Wild turkeyMeleagris gallopavo (wild), (domestic) (wild), (domestic) (wild) Yes (Wild); No (Domestic)
By order
Birds of prey (Accipitriformes) New World vultures are generally considered belonging to this order,American Ornithologists' Union (2010) although their inclusion is not accepted by all.Remsen et al. (2008) If included, the largest species of this order, based on body weight and wingspan, is the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) of western South America. The Andean condor can reach a wingspan of and a weight of . Males are larger than females. The California condor is marginally smaller with a maximum weight of 14 kg. Excluding New World vultures, the largest extant species is the Eurasian black vulture (Aegypius monachus). The Eurasian black vulture can attain a weight of , a length of up to , and a wingspan of .Christie, David A. & Ferguson-Lee, James, Raptors of the World. Princeton University Press (2006), Other vultures can be almost as large, with the Himalayan vulture (Gyps himalayensis) reaching lengths of up to . The largest living member of this order, in terms of length and height, is the secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) of sub-Saharan Africa. It measures in height and in length. Its wingspan can reach and have a weight of . The largest predatory bird, specifically the largest eagle, is a source of contention. The harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) of neotropical forests is often cited as the most massive eagle, with wild females up to in weight and captive females occasionally growing to weights of over .Wood, Gerald The Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats (1983) The Steller's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) of Asia's North Pacific, with unconfirmed weights of up to , and an average weight of , is sometimes regarded as the heaviest eagle. The up to Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) has the greatest length of any eagle. The harpy and Philippine eagles, due to having to navigate in deep forest, are relatively short-winged and do not exceed , respectively, in wingspan. The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) is of marginally larger wingspan, with the Himalayan subspecies recorded at . The white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) measures in length with a wingspan. Its wingspan, with a midpoint of , is on average the largest of any eagle. The white-tailed eagle is sometimes considered the fourth-largest eagle in the world, and is on average the fourth-heaviest. The martial eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) is the largest eagle in Africa, and the fifth-heaviest (on average) eagle in the world, with a length of , a weight of and a wingspan of . The longest wingspan of an eagle recorded was an Australian wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax) at . However, less substantiated records indicate that the Steller's sea eagle may reach at least ."Japan's Winter Wildlife Zoom". National Geographic. Retrieved 2016-12-14. The largest of the accipitrine hawks is the Eurasian goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) of temperate Eurasia. They range in size variably, but on average measure in length, have a wingspan of and weigh . The Henst's goshawk (Accipiter henstii) and Meyer's goshawk (Accipiter meyerianus) do rival it in terms of wing size and body mass. Among the buteonine hawks, the largest species are the ferruginous hawk (Buteo regalis) and the upland buzzard (Buteo hemilasius) of North America and Asia respectively. The former can have a wingspan of , weigh and measure in length. The weight of the upland buzzard, which can be in the range of , broadly overlaps that of the ferruginous hawk, even though it is slightly larger at long and with a wingspan of . The swamp harrier (Circus approximans) of Australasia is believed to be the largest species of harrier, measuring long, having a wingspan of and weighing . The largest species of kite is the red kite (Milvus milvus). With a wingspan of , it measures in length and weighs .
Waterfowl (Anseriformes)
The largest waterfowl species by average size is the trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator) of Northern North America, which can reach a length of , a wingspan of and a weight of .Price, Christopher ed., Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds. Firefly Books (2003), The heaviest single waterfowl recorded was a cob (Cygnus olor) from Poland which weighed , and was allegedly too heavy to take flight.
The largest species of goose is the Canada goose (Branta canadensis), more specifically the subspecies known as the giant Canada goose (Branta canadensis maxima). Individuals can reach more than in weight.