These birds have evolved over the years to have short, useless wings that usually cannot fly, like the Ostrich, Emu or Rhea.
All over the world, large, flying birds frequent the sky and sea: crows, birds, swans, etc.
These birds are heavy, ranging from 22 to 44 kilos.
Despite their weight and constant gravity, these heavy birds find ways to fly.
These are the 11 heaviest flying birds in the world!
1. Great Bustard (Otis tarda)
Part: Bustard Family (Belongs to Cranes and Whoopers) Weight: 18-44 pounds/8-20 kilograms Wingspan: Males 7-8 feet/210-250 centimeters Locations: Europe and Central Asia
The European and Central Asian Great Rice Bird ranks first as the heaviest flying bird in the world.
With a maximum weight of 44 lbs, these birds amaze ornithologists who discover that the Great Bustard can migrate over 2,000 miles.
The Great Bustard can be found in habitats such as grasslands or prairies.
During the mating season, the male Greater Bustard has a brighter color and thin, long feathers near the beak, indicating a moustache, or moustache!
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Part: Bustard Family (Belongs to Cranes and Whoopers) Weight: 24-42 pounds/11-19 kilograms Wingspan: Males 7.5-9 feet/230-275 centimeters Found: East and Southern Africa
The world’s largest flightless bird – the ostrich – lives in Africa.
But it may also be the home of the largest flying bird species – the Cory Bustard!
Although most consider the Great Bustard of Europe and Central Asia to be the largest flying bird, the size of the Cory Bustard is quite comparable to its distant Eurasian relative.
Cory Bustard lives in African grasslands and savannas, feeding on plants, berries, snakes and lizards.
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3. Large Indian fish (Ardeotis nigriceps)
Part: Bustard family (belongs to cranes and rails) Weight: 13-40 pounds/6-18 kilograms Wingspan: males 7-8 feet/210-250 centimeters Found: Small in subcontinental India
The great turkey vulture is the 3rd largest flying bird alive today.
Like its distant avian relatives, the Great Indian Bustard makes its home among the grasslands of peninsular India and eats an omnivorous diet befitting a bird of its size.
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Part: Subfamily Anatidae of waterfowl (related to ducks and geese) Weight: 21-38 pounds/9.5-17 kilograms Wingspan: males 6.6 feet/203 centimeters Found: North America
Trumpeter swans are large migratory waterfowl that summer in Alaska and western Canada and winter further south within the continental United States.
The Trumpeter Swan is the largest water bird in North America.
Trumpeter Swan demands a running start; simultaneously flapping its wings and moving its legs over the water to gain enough speed to take off.
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5. Mute Swan (Cygnas olor)
Part: Waterfowl Subfamily Anatidae (related to ducks and geese) Weight: 22-31.5 pounds/10-14.3 kilograms Wingspan: males 6.8-7.8 feet/207-237 centimeters Found: Northern Hemisphere (Northern Asia, Europe, North America) )
Mute swans can be found throughout North America, but this magnificent white bird is not native to America.
The mute swan has a natural range in Europe and Asia.
The male Mute Swan is unique in that during mating season the black knob on his beak grows, making it one of the easiest ways to tell the sexes apart.
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6. Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
Part: Waterfowl Subfamily Anatidae (related to ducks and geese) Weight: 16.3-30.8 pounds/7.4-14 kilograms Wingspan: 6.6-9 feet/200-275 centimeters Found: Europe, Central and in North Asia.
It is another Eurasian bird that migrates widely between its winter and summer homes.
Some cuckoos have even made a home in North America, but only on the West Coast.
These birds flew across the Bering Sea and established themselves in America.
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7. Andean condor (Vultur gryphus)
Part: Family Cathartidae (New World Vultures) Weight: Up to 30 pounds/13.6 kilograms Wingspan: 10 feet/305 centimeters Found: In South America, especially in the Andes
The Andean condor lives high in the Andes mountains.
One reason these birds prefer high cliffs is because their large wings can easily trap warm rising air, allowing the bird to fly with minimal effort.
The Andean Condor may not have the widest wingspan, but its wings have the most surface area.
Part: Family Pelecaniformes, medium to large seabirds Weight: 23.5-29 pounds/10.5-13 kilograms Wingspan: 10.1-11.3 feet/310-345 centimeters Locations: Europe and Asia
The Dalmatian pelican is the largest pelican of the Pelecaniformes family.
These birds have large wingspans that can reach up to 11 feet.
Often these birds work in groups, casually crawling over the water before dipping their heads below the surface to pick up fish.
9. Cinereous Vulture or Eurasian Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus)
Part: Old World Vulture Weight: 15-27.5 pounds/7-12.5 kilograms Wingspan: 8-10 feet/250-295 centimeters Found: Europe and Asia
The Cinereous Vulture is the 2nd largest bird of prey, after only the Andean Condor.
These crows can be found in Europe and Asia.
Part: Old World Vulture Weight: 18-26 pounds/8-12 kilograms Wingspan: 9-10 feet/270-300 cm Found: only in Central Asia, especially the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau
The Himalayan Vulture is a master of high altitude flying.
This bird often glides up to 5,000 meters above sea level among the high mountains where the world’s highest peaks are located.
These large birds use their large wings and pockets of warm air to fly with minimal effort.
Part: Diomedeidae family of large seabirds Weight: Up to 22 pounds/10 kilograms Wingspan: Males 8.2-11.8 feet/250-360 centimeters Found: In all oceans of the Southern Hemisphere
The Wandering Albatross is quite a remarkable bird.
Breeding pairs tend to mate for life, but produce only one chick per year.
This incredible bird is last on our list coming in at 22 kilos.
The real impressive feature of this bird is its open wings.
The Wandering Albatross has a wingspan of 11-12 feet, which helps it glide easily for hours!