The largest flying bird in South America. The largest birds on earth
Wildlife fascinates the observer, and birds are no exception: they have long attracted the attention of researchers who dreamed of artificial wings; and the ground “walkers” and “runners” are funny and entertaining in their own way.
The incredible diversity of bird families and species is impressive; An inquisitive amateur ornithologist wants to understand what is the largest bird in the world? The answer to this question is interesting not only for children, but also for adult readers. You can compete for championship by wingspan, weight, height - you just need to decide on the criterion.
The largest birds in the world
Andean condor
Among flying predators, the inhabitant of the American Andes is recognized as the largest. This is an Andean condor, winning in almost all respects: with a weight of 11 to 15 kg and a height of 120-130 cm, its wingspan reaches 3 meters. The picture of the condor soaring is truly impressive: it uses rising air currents and opens its wings to its full width, covering up to 200 km per day!
This bird lives on the west coast of South America. Once its distribution area was quite extensive, but now this species is listed in the Red Book.
The condor became quite popular among readers of Jules Verne’s book “The Children of Captain Grant”: it is impossible to forget the episode when this predator carried away the body of an unconscious teenager in its clutches. Fortunately, then everything ended well, but the condor is really a serious opponent: it can drag away large prey in its claws.
The condor feeds on carrion: this is how the predator restores order, maintaining the ecosystem in balance.
African ostrich
Of the giant land birds, the recognized leader is the ostrich. Of course: with a height of 2.7 - 3 m, his weight reaches 130 - 200 kg! The bird is not able to lift itself into the sky; however, this deficiency is more than made up for by his speed: the runner can reach speeds of up to 80 km per hour! Catching up with an ostrich is almost impossible, because short wings help it, in case of danger, to sharply change direction, fleeing from pursuit. But the ostrich is not so cowardly: it can knock out an opponent with a blow from its powerful leg.
Today the African ostrich is the only representative of its species. It is interesting that from Greek “ostrich” is translated as “camel sparrow”: indeed, the small “sparrow” head is combined in this bird with a huge “camel” carcass on long legs, capable of easily moving along the desert sands.
The most famous myth about the ostrich gave rise to the saying “hiding your head in the sand,” that is, avoiding solving a problem, hoping that it will solve itself. However, such behavior is completely unusual for an ostrich: simply after a long run, its head on its long neck can sag in exhaustion, almost touching the ground.
Emperor penguin
Another terrestrial bird of impressive size is the emperor penguin. With a height of about 120 cm, the bird can weigh 40-45 kg - these are the dimensions of an average third-grader. Extremely clumsy on land, the penguin is an excellent swimmer and easily hunts fish on sea spaces icy Antarctica and can stay underwater for up to 15 minutes, looking for prey.
The penguin is reliably protected from water and frost by a layer of fat and tight-fitting feathers. They settle in colonies, raise their chicks together, surrounding them with a dense ring of adults, and keep each other warm in particularly severe frosts: the temperature between the birds’ tightly pressed bodies can reach 35°C! Touching klutzes in black tailcoats, they are quite smart and devoted: parents take turns incubating a single egg, and in a children's group of grown-up chicks they will unerringly find their cub and feed it.
Most great danger for penguins, the petrel represents: this predator appears out of nowhere, grabs their offspring with lightning speed, and immediately rushes away. An adult penguin is tough only for a giant killer whale.
wandering albatross
Among sea flying birds, the wandering albatross stands out with its impressive wingspan of up to 3.5 m - in this category it is perhaps the champion - the largest bird in the world. With comparatively small size The bird glides on such wings along air currents, practically without flapping. In pursuit of food, the albatross can travel up to 800 km per day!
Any weather is suitable for it, but the usual rise from the ground poses a real problem for this magnificent flyer: if there is no wind, the albatross cannot rise into the sky, and staying on land is dangerous for it - you can easily become the prey of a predator. If the bird is calm on the water, it sways on the waves waiting for the breeze.
The name reflects the albatross's lifestyle: it can attach itself to ocean-going ships or fishing vessels, eating all the leftover food thrown into the sea. By making such a living and following the ships, birds can end up hundreds of miles from their homes. At other times, they feed on fish, squid, small crustaceans, and do not disdain the remains of sea inhabitants.
The albatross, with its ability to soar on air currents and take off, pushing off from hills, became the prototype of the paraglider.
Bustard
But the bustard or dudak is recognized as the heaviest of the flying birds: its weight can reach 20 kg - a real fat one! How does she lift herself off the ground? The wingspan of the bustard is huge - from 2 to 2.5 meters and allows the bird to use the same air currents, rising up along them. However, it takes off heavily, like a heavyweight aircraft, starting with a take-off run, diving low above the ground and rising higher and higher.
Its habitat is the steppes of Europe and Asia: they are full of grains, herbs and bulbs so beloved by the bustard, and teeming with frogs, lizards and mice. Bustards migrate, going south in winter and returning to their native steppes in summer.
It seems that this bird is a little offended by nature: it has no sweat glands and it cools down in its hot regions by lying on the ground, spreading its wings and breathing intensely with its open beak. Another problem is the lack of a fat layer on the wings: in the rain they get wet through, and in cold weather they freeze, which is why the bustard becomes completely helpless.
But despite such troubles, not so long ago the steppes of Eurasia were teeming with these funny birds, but now the state is forced to take bustards under protection due to a sharp decrease in their numbers.
Dalmatian Pelican
This is one of the largest waterfowl migratory birds with a prominent beak up to half a meter long. The pelican reaches a length of up to 180 cm and weighs about 14 kg, and its wingspan is about 3 m. The structural features of its paws do not allow it to dive deeply, so the bird hunts in shallow water. In addition, its feathers quickly become wet, and pelicans squeeze them out with their huge beaks.
When taking off, the pelican easily pushes off from the water surface - it is helped by dense membranes on its paws. But getting up from the ground is more difficult for a heavyweight - you have to jump several times. It hovers in the air with its head resting on its shoulders: its beak is so heavy that the pelican takes every opportunity to rest its neck.
They call it curly for a reason: the bird’s head is decorated with long curly feathers, creating a stylish hairstyle. The bright orange lower part of the beak complements the image of the dude. One can only guess how nature manages to make a creature with such a huge nose incredibly beautiful, and its flight mesmerizing?
Pelicans nest in a variety of places, from Mongolia to Sea of Azov, and winter in China, India, Iraq, Egypt. They live in pairs and raise their chicks together. It is interesting to watch how a pelican hunts: it waits until the fish rises higher to the surface, lowers its beak into the water and fills it, like a bag, with the desired prey.
Unfortunately, this amazing bird is on the verge of extinction and is listed in the Red Book.
mute swan
The swan has long symbolized fidelity and love. This bird is also one of the ten largest waterfowl in the world. During the fishing period, a male swan reaches 15 kg, having an impressive wingspan of up to 2 m. Due to its considerable weight, the swan takes off heavily, moving its paws for a long time and gradually gaining height, and most often lands on the water to avoid being hit.
Migrating northern swans fly in a wedge formation, following the strongest leader: he creates aerodynamic currents that make it easier for others to fly. Swans winter in the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean, and in the summer they return north to the tundra. These majestic birds feed on grass, duckweed, small invertebrates, roots and seeds of plants.
Their plumage is perfectly suited for swimming: the feathers are protected by a layer of fat, and underneath is the famous swan down, warm and light. Their webbed feet allow them to swim easily, making them clumsy on land. But they don’t know how to dive deep and hunt on the surface.
These birds make virtually no sounds, so the expression “swan song” is simply an allegory. In case of danger, swans hiss, which is why the largest species was called mute. Swans are listed in the Red Book and hunting them, fortunately, is prohibited.
Argentavis
Speaking about giant birds, one cannot fail to mention the already extinct Argentavis, discovered by paleontologists on the territory of modern Argentina and supposedly lived there 5-8 million years ago. This bird is now considered the largest species known to scientists in history.
Its wingspan reached 7-8 m, and its weight was 70 kg. Anatomically, this giant was similar to the stork-shaped American vulture, but it fed on live prey. Argentavis probably fell from a height onto a flock of rodents and swallowed them whole.
Average duration The life of the bird was about 100 years. Scientists cannot explain how this colossus took off from the ground, but they suggest that Argentavis soared through the air on its huge wings. It is obvious that the extinct Argentavis could compete for the title of the most big bird in the world, were he alive today.
Hello, dear readers of the site “I and the World”! What kind of animals have we not talked about in our articles? And today it’s time to tell you what the largest bird in the world is.
It is difficult to choose the largest one: if it weighs a lot, then the height is small; if tall, then the wings are small. We will take all these factors into account and show you the top 10 big birds of the world. And you will find out the answer by reading the article to the end.
10th place – Wedge-tailed eagle
The eagle is a diurnal predator. Females are larger than males and reach 5.3 kg in weight. In this case, the wingspan is 2.3 meters. A light bird, but as soon as it spreads its wings and takes off, it’s just a black beauty! Eagles build a fairly large nest: up to 3 m in diameter and weighing up to 400 kg. They hunt rabbits, but do not disdain to peck carrion.
In 9th place - Bustard
The bustard weighs about 20 kg. And although it is flying, it is probably not very easy to lift such a heavy body, although the wingspan is quite large - 2-2.5 m. A bustard with such a weight takes off quite heavily, as if a huge airliner is slowly rising. She can fly masterfully, catching wind currents, as if “swimming with the flow,” but in the clouds.
In 8th place is the Crane
Handsome and people's favorite! How many songs, poems and fairy tales have been invented about this bird. And although the crane is quite tall - 90-180 cm, it weighs only up to 10 kg. With a wingspan of up to two meters, cranes easily rise into the air and soar beautifully in the clouds. Distributed everywhere except the south of America and Antarctica.
7th place – Black vulture
The wingspan of an adult vulture reaches 2.5 m and weighs up to 13 kg. This bird of prey prefers to eat carrion, apparently not really wanting to hunt itself. They have very weak legs and therefore it is difficult for them to carry a large weight of food to the nest. And they have to eat their fill at the place where they found lunch. Black vultures live in the mountains of Southern Europe and Central Asia.
6th place goes to Dalmatian Pelican
Among waterfowl, the pelican is one of the largest. With its long beak, about half a meter, it easily snatches fish from the water and carries it to the nest. They prefer to hunt in shallow places. Pelicans eat up to 14 kg. They are distributed everywhere and prefer hard-to-reach water bodies with abundant grass. Sometimes they settle in salty bodies of water.
The middle of the ranking is occupied by Lebed
Swans are perhaps the most beautiful and noble birds on earth. Their beauty is glorified in many classic works; modern poetry and prose talk about swans. The color is white, gray and black. The weight of adult males reaches 15 kg with a wingspan of up to two meters. The highly developed muscles of the wings help to fly thousands of kilometers to southern countries. They live their entire lives in married couples and raise their chicks together. The swan has always been considered a symbol of purity and romance. And if one of the couple dies, the other dies too.
In 4th place - Albatross
The albatross is a flying bird with the largest wingspan of any living creature in the world - up to 3.7 m. Although it itself is very small, only 10-11 kg. It lives in southern sea areas, on the shores of Antarctica. Sailors have always believed that the appearance of an albatross near a ship portends a terrible storm.
In 3rd place is the Emperor Penguin.
A large, clumsy bird on land and a fast swimmer in the water. Swims at speeds up to 60 km/h. With a height of 130 cm they can weigh up to 45 kg. They usually live among the ice of Antarctica, but sometimes they swim to the mainland. They feed on squid and fish, sometimes diving up to 535 m into the depths of the ocean. They can spend 15 minutes underwater.
2nd place goes to Cassowary
The cassowary is the largest in Australia and the surrounding islands. With a height of up to two meters, it weighs up to 60 kg - this is the largest flightless bird. But it accelerates so that you can hardly catch it on a bicycle - up to 50 km/h. The Cassowary acquired this name because of a strange growth on its head, which is called a helmet, and translated from Indonesian as “horned head.” The Cassowary chick looks like a striped mattress, with black stripes on its back. They feed mainly on plant foods, but can snack on snails, insects, and frogs.
Well, ladies, the 1st place in our rating is occupied by Ostrich
The largest flightless bird on the planet is no secret - the ostrich. It can grow up to 2.7 m and weigh up to 150 kg. It's hard to lift such a heavy body into the air! But he runs and kicks excellently with his strong legs. Accelerates, escaping from enemies, up to 70 km/h. But not only the legs of the ostrich are remarkable, but also the eyes - after all, they are the largest among birds in the world and together weigh more than the brain. Maybe that's why they see further than they think.
It is worth focusing on the largest bird in the entire history of their existence
This is Argentavis, who lived 8 million years ago in Argentina. The wingspan reached 7 meters, and the weight was 70 kg. In the photo he looks quite scary.
We talked about the largest birds in the world. You saw pictures with their images, how much each one weighs, where it lives and what it is called. If the article is interesting to you, share this knowledge with your friends. And we say goodbye to you until the next entertaining articles on our website!
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
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 plenty 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, sophisticated and has a long neck. It helps birds find food under the surface of the water, as 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 large 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 marine 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 or more. Just like other vultures, these condors feed on carrion, as well as domestic animals. They feast on dead fish and dead seals along the 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 enormous 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. The African Great Bustard spends most of its time on the ground, searching for food.
5. Greater or northern rhea
A large flightless bird that 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. During the 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. The average lifespan 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. The average life expectancy of an emperor penguin is 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 to be a resident of forests, 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 the tropical forests of 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 fastest bird, its maximum running speed is 70 km/h. Native to Africa, today ostriches are primarily found in regions of Australia, feeding on fruits, flowers, seeds, shrubs, and small insects. One more 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 .
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Among other fauna, birds stand apart. Many of them are very beautiful, with bright plumage, seeming weightless when they float in the air. But among them there are real giants, capable of surprising with their size and structure. Moreover, among the very large birds there are also flying ones, and not just “pedestrians”. What are the ten largest birds in the world?
1. African ostrich
Even a schoolchild knows that the largest bird in the world is the African ostrich. This giant can reach an incredible three meters in height and weigh from 130 to 200 kilograms. Such dimensions and scanty wings block the ostrich's path to the sky, however, it perfectly compensates for this with its sprinting qualities - the bird is capable of racing at a speed of 80 km/h! Moreover, even a fast cheetah is unlikely to be able to catch up with it, since the ostrich, maneuvering with short wings, can sharply change the direction of running at full speed, which no one else can do.
This proud bird is not so cowardly - with a blow of its trained leg it can easily kill a person. Today the only species of African ostrich survives. The name of the bird in Greek means “camel sparrow” - it actually has a small head like a sparrow and a huge body of a humpbacked camel on long legs, and it also moves easily on the sands like a camel. Contrary to the famous saying, the ostrich never hides its head in the sand, trying to isolate itself from difficult situations. It’s just that sometimes, after a long run, his head drops to the ground in exhaustion, almost touching it.
2. Southern (helmeted) cassowary
This largest bird in Australia is found in the tropical forests of Indonesia, and is second in size only to the African ostrich. The height of this wingless bird is 1.5 meters, and its weight is up to 80 kg, which is close to the parameters of a person. The cassowary has very thick and powerful legs that can accelerate the body up to 48 km/h. Helmeted cassowaries feed on insects, grass and mushrooms. Their females lay eggs in the summer.
3. Emu
This is an Australian large bird, weighing up to 60 kg with a height of 150-190 cm. Emus mainly live in savannas and forests and feed on plants, their fruits and seeds, some insects, and do not disdain lizards. In addition to food, they periodically swallow pebbles, which contribute to the grinding of food in the stomach. Thanks to their very long legs, emus can accelerate to 50 km/h. These birds breed in winter, when the female lays a single dark green egg weighing 0.5 kg. Previously, emus were classified as ostriches, but now they are classified as cassowaries.
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4. Emperor Penguin
Another large bird, the emperor penguin, looks completely different. Her parameters correspond to a plump junior high school student: height 120 cm and weight 40-45 kg. The penguin looks very clumsy on land, but is an excellent swimmer and diver. He constantly hunts fish in the icy waters of Antarctica and is able to chase them underwater for up to 15 minutes. Penguins are protected from the cold by a thick layer of fat and a special feather structure.
Penguins settle in large colonies, where they raise their chicks together, keeping them in a tight ring. In the most severe frosts, they collectively warm themselves, pressing their bodies tightly against each other, at which time the temperature between them can rise to +35 degrees. Emperor penguins look in their black tailcoats at the same time touching and funny; they are loyal and intelligent birds - the parents incubate the only egg in turns, and among the collective kindergarten unerringly find their favorite chick. The main enemy of emperor penguins on the shore is the petrel, which suddenly swoops in from nowhere, quickly grabs the chick and just as quickly flies away. In the sea, the enemies of penguins are killer whales.
5. Northern (great) rhea
This endemic flightless inhabitant of South America grows up to 140 centimeters and weighs up to 27 kilograms. The large rhea also has large wings; it balances with them while running, especially when it changes its direction. These birds feed on insects, lizards and even small birds. The northern rhea can use its powerful legs for self-defense. During the mating season, the male mates with several females at once, and they lay all the eggs in one nest. As a result, over 50 eggs can be found in such a nest. On average, these birds live 10 years.
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6. Great African Bustard
The bustard is one of the heaviest birds that have not forgotten how to fly. With a height of 110 cm, she can weigh 20 kg. Bustards nest in semi-deserts and deserts of Eurasia; their range is very wide - from Spain to the Mongolian steppes. The Great African Bustard is the largest flying bird of our time, but it still spends most of its life on the ground in search of food. Bustards feed on berries, seeds, insects, lizards and snakes. Bustards, despite their massiveness, have learned to control air currents; they take off like heavy airplanes - they have to take a long run.
Male bustards engage in courtship at a certain time: either at 8 in the morning, or at 4-5 in the afternoon, but never at noon. As soon as the chicks hatch, the males leave the females, leaving all further concerns in their care.
7. Andean condor
The largest flying predators live in the South American Cordillera - the Andes. They are called Andean condors. Their dimensions are impressive: height 1.2-1.3 m, weight 11-15 kg, wingspan 3 m. The condor's soaring in the skies is mesmerizing: it practically does not flap its wings, but catches air currents with them and is capable of flying up to 200 kilometers a day . Condors were once widespread throughout South America, but are now found only in the Andes; this majestic bird is listed in the Red Book. Many readers learned about the condor from Jules Verne’s novel “The Children of Captain Grant,” where this giant was able to lift the unconscious body of a teenager into its nest. And although in the novel everything ended well for the young man, in reality the condor is a formidable rival - he is able to carry away prey in his claws that weighs much more than himself. Although he is a scavenger, maintaining the mountain ecosystem in balance.
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8. Dalmatian Pelican
The Dalmatian Pelican, which lives in Europe and South Asia, is an ancient and heavy bird. It can reach a height of 180 cm and weigh 14 kg. And the wingspan of this pelican species can reach an incredible 3.4 meters. By appearance The Dalmatian Pelican is quite similar to the Great White Pelican, but is somewhat larger in size than it and other relatives. The Dalmatian pelican's beak, reaching half a meter, is the second longest among all birds. The main food of pelicans is fish, as well as other marine life. A voracious pelican can eat up to 2 kilograms of fish per day. Dalmatian pelicans especially like catfish, carp, eel and perch.
9. Mute swan
This incredibly beautiful, graceful bird, smoothly gliding across the surface of the water and reflected in it, as in a mirror, can stretch to its full height and reach 180 cm, and weighs on average 8-13 kg, although some specimens can weigh up to 22 .5 kilograms. All these indicators allowed the mute swan to enter the list of the largest birds in the world.
This handsome man has an unusually long and graceful neck, which, by the way, he does not need at all in order to delight nature lovers. Lowering its head under the water on it, the swan skillfully looks for food there, which can be small fish, algae, insect larvae, etc. The wingspan of the mute swan reaches 2.4 meters. They are considered quite intelligent birds, although slightly aggressive; in any case, they perfectly recognize the people who feed them and take care of them. They are also faithful spouses.
10. Wandering Albatross
This one is big sea bird can reach 117 cm in length. It lives mainly in the north Pacific Ocean and off the coast of Antarctica. There are 24 species of albatrosses in the world, but the largest of them is the wandering albatross, weighing up to 12 kg. It feeds on fish and squid and is able to drink large quantities of ocean water. Almost continuously, this “glider” either hovers low above the waves or sways on them. On land it almost never appears. Only during the breeding season, wandering albatrosses gather in colonies on remote islands, and the rest of the time they are solitary. Their average lifespan is 10-30 years, but some individuals live up to 50 years.
Hands to Feet. Subscribe to our channel atFor many centuries, birds of prey were perceived by humans as mystical creatures endowed with special powers. In various tribal cultures, there were religious movements dedicated to predatory killers, they became the patrons of the warrior caste and shamans. In modern ornithology, the term "bird of prey" refers to any species of bird that has strong talons, keen eyesight, and a strong, curved beak. Theoretically, the largest representatives of this species could even kill a person.
1. Great Gray Owl
The Great Gray Owl is rightfully considered the largest owl bird in the world. The bird's body length reaches 80 cm, its wingspan is 1.5 m. It hunts during the day mainly on small rodents, sometimes on squirrels. The bird's habitat is quite wide: the gray owl prefers taiga zones and is found in territories from Siberia to Transbaikalia.
2. Andean condor
The Andean condor is the largest flying bird in the Western Hemisphere; despite the fact that its length from beak to tail is on average 5 cm shorter than that of the California condor, its wingspan (274-310 cm) significantly exceeds its closest relative. In addition, it is heavier - the weight of males reaches 11-15 kg, females - 7.5-11 kg. The length of adult birds varies from 117 to 135 cm. The basis of the diet of the Andean condor is the carcasses of dead animals and carrion. In search of food, birds often travel long distances, flying up to 200 km per day. Far from the sea, they prefer the remains of large ungulates, such as deer, guanacos, and cows that died a natural death or were strangled by a puma. On the sea coast they feed on the carcasses of marine mammals washed ashore. In addition to carrion, they also destroy the nests of colonial birds, feeding on their eggs and attacking chicks. Found in the Andes and on the Pacific coast of South America. Condors live up to seventy years, but the population of these birds is under threat.
3. Martial Eagle
Martial eagles are found primarily in open areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Females are somewhat larger and heavier than males, whose size is on average only 75% of the size of females. Body length from 78 to 96 cm, wingspan from 188 to 227 cm.
Pairs of martial eagles have ranges of more than 1000 km². Pairs nest at a distance of about 50 km from each other, which is the lowest density of any bird in the world.
4. Philippine eagle
The monkey-eating eagle is considered one of the rarest, largest and most powerful birds in the world. The Philippine harpy reaches a length of 80-100 cm, a wingspan of up to 220 cm. Females, weighing from 5 to 8 kg, are slightly larger than males, whose weight is from 4 to 6 kg. You can meet it only in the tropical forests of the Philippines: here it is considered the national symbol of the country. Killing this endangered bird is punishable by Philippine law with twelve years in prison and a heavy fine.
5. Snow vulture
One of the largest vultures in the world lives in the high regions of the Himalayas, Pamirs and Kazakhstan. Weight 8-12 kg, length 116-150 cm, wingspan up to 310 cm. Makes vertical seasonal migrations, descending lower in winter. It feeds on carrion, mainly ungulates. A few nesting sites of the snowy vulture are found on the Tibetan plateau. Hunting for this species is prohibited by local law, but for poachers the capture of such a vulture means huge profits, and the bird population is steadily declining.
6. South American Harpy
This large hawk is found in the plains and tropical forests of South America. The body length of this hawk is from 90 to 110 cm. The wingspan is about 2 meters. The female weighs 6-9 kg, the smaller male 4–4.8 kg. The harpy hunts large mammals such as sloths and monkeys. Harpies are the only predators, with the exception of smooth-fronted caimans, that prey on arboreal (or prehensile-tailed) porcupines. Unfortunately, deforestation in the harpy nesting areas is leading to a steady decline in the population of these dangerous and beautiful birds: there are now fewer than 50,000 individuals.
7. Bearded man
The "bearded vulture" is named for the tuft of stiff feathers or bristles under the beak that form the wattle. Distributed in Southern Europe, Eastern and South Africa, Western and Central Asia. The bearded vulture has been successfully reintroduced into the Alps, but remains the rarest bird of prey in Europe.
It feeds mainly on carrion, sometimes turtles and rodents. Life expectancy in captivity is up to 40 years.
8. The Wandering Albatross
Wandering albatrosses reach a length of up to 117 cm and have the largest wingspan among modern birds - up to 325 cm. Wavy albatrosses are also called wandering. The albatross is a solitary bird, but nests in colonies. In general, the bird does not fly higher than 15 m above the water. The albatross can fly against the wind. An albatross can fly up to 1000 km per day. The average life expectancy is 10-30 years, but in some cases it can reach 50 years. Albatrosses feed most often at night. Its diet consists of fish, molluscs and crustaceans, as well as waste left behind by trawlers and fish and seafood processing vessels.
9. Golden Eagle
The most famous and most widespread bird of prey in the entire northern hemisphere, where it lives mainly in the mountains, and to a lesser extent in flat open and semi-open landscapes. The wingspan of the golden eagle reaches an impressive 2.34 meters - a real killer machine. The bird has been considered the patron saint of hunters since ancient times and enjoys great mystical influence in many tribal cultures. By now, the golden eagle has completely disappeared or has become a very rare bird in many regions of the world, more or less surviving only in the mountains, treeless tundra and steppe. According to ecologists, currently the total number of this bird in the world is about 170 thousand individuals, of which only 6.5 to 7.5 thousand are in Europe.