These birds have evolved over the years to have short and useless wings, which are unable to fly, birds such as the ostrich or Emu or Rhea.
All over the world, large birds frequent the sky and sea: eagles, bustards, swans, and more.
These birds are heavy, between 22-44 kilograms.
Despite their weight and gravity, these heavy birds find a way to escape.
These are the 11 heaviest flying birds in the world!
1. Great Bustard (Otis tarda)
Part of: Bustard Family (related to cranes and rails)Weight: 18-44 pounds/8-20 pounds Wingspan: Male 7-8 feet/210-250 inches Found in: Europe & throughout Central Asia
The Great Bustard of Europe and Central Asia takes first place as the heaviest flying bird in the world.
With a maximum weight of 44 lbs, these birds impress ornithologists who have discovered that the Great Bustard can migrate over 2,000 miles.
The Great Bustard is found in habitats such as grasslands or plains.
In the breeding season, the male Great Bustard has a brighter color and a thin, long feather near the mouth, indicating a beard or moustache!
Also Read: 11 Best Bird Cages (To Attract Songbirds)
Part of: Bustard Family (related to cranes and rails) Weight: 24-42 pounds/11-19 kilograms Wingspan: Male 7.5-9 feet/230-275 inches Found in: East & Southern Africa
Africa is home to the world’s largest flightless bird—the ostrich.
But it may also be home to the largest flying bird species, the Kori Bustard!
Although most of the largest flying birds praise the Great Bustard of Europe and Central Asia, the size of the Kori Bustard is comparable to its distant Eurasian relative.
The Kori Bustard lives in the African grasslands and savannahs, eating plants, berries, snakes and lizards.
Also Read: 12 Simple Tips To Attract Birds To Your Bird Bath
3. Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps)
Part of: Bustard Family (related to Cranes and Rails) Weight: 13-40 pounds/6-18 kilograms Wingspan: Male 7-8 feet/210-250 cm Found: Small in the Indian subcontinent.
The Great Indian Bustard is the 3rd largest flying bird alive today.
Like its distant bustard relatives, the Great India Bustard makes its home among the grasslands of the Indian subcontinent, eating an omnivore diet consistent with birds of its size.
Also Read: 20 Best Gifts for the Bird Lover in Your Life
Part of: Aquatic subfamily Anatidae (related to ducks and geese) Weight: 21-38 pounds/9.5-17 kilograms Wingspan: Male 6.6 feet/203 inches Found in: North America
Trumpeter Swans are large migratory birds that spend the summer in Alaska and Western Canada and winter in the southern United States.
The Trumpeter Swan is the largest bird in North America.
Swan’s trumpet calls for a running start; with flapping of its wings and paddling of its feet on the surface of the water, to gain sufficient speed to ensure take-off.
Also Read: 5 Best Salt-Free Bird Feeders [That Really Work]
5. Mute swan (Cygnas olor)
Part of: Aquatic subfamily Anatidae (related to ducks and geese) Weight: 22-31.5 pounds/10-14.3 pounds Wingspan: Male 6.8-7.8 feet/207- 237 inches Found: throughout the Northern Hemisphere (North America, Europe, Asia) )
Mute swans are found in North America, but this dominant white bird is not native to America.
The Mute Swan is native to Europe and Asia.
The male Mute Swan is unique in that the black belly above its beak grows larger during mating season, making it one of the easiest ways to tell the sex apart.
Also Read: 5 Best Bird Houses (For Attracting Birds of Prey)
6. Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)
Part of: Aquatic subfamily Anatidae (related to ducks and geese) Weight: 16.3-30.8 pounds/7.4-14 pounds Wingspan: 6.6-9 feet/200-275 inches Found in: Europe, Central & Northern Asia.
The Whooper Swan is another Eurasian bird that migrates extensively between its summer and winter homes.
Some Whooper Swans have even made their home in North America, but only on the West Coast.
These birds established themselves in America by flying across the Bering Sea.
Also Read: 12 Tips on How to Keep Snakes Away from Bird Feeders
7. Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus)
Part of: Family Cathartidae (New World Vultures)Weight: Up to 30 pounds/Up to 13.6 pounds Wingspan: 10 feet/305 inches Found in: South America, especially in the Andes Mountains.
The Andean Condor lives in the Andes Mountains.
Part of the reason these birds prefer high slopes is that it is easier for their large wings to catch the warm air rising, allowing the birds to fly with minimal effort.
The Andean Condor may not have the widest wingspan but its wingspan has the largest surface area.
Belongs to: Family Pelecaniformes, medium to large seabirds Weight: 23.5-29 pounds/10.5-13 kilograms Wingspan: 10.1-11.3 feet/310-345 cm Found in: Europe & Asia
The Dalmatian Pelican is the largest pelican in the Pelecaniformes family.
These birds have a large wingspan that can reach 11 meters.
These birds often work together, floating on the surface of the water before dipping their heads below the surface to catch 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 inches Found in: Europe & Asia
The Cinereous Vulture is the second largest bird of prey, after the Andean Condor.
These eagles are found in Europe and Asia.
Part: Old World Vulture Weight: 18-26 pounds/8-12 kilograms Wingspan: 9-10 feet/270-300cm Found: Only in Central Asia, especially the Himalayan Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau
The Himalayan Vulture is a master of high flight.
This bird is often seen soaring 5,000 meters above sea level in the high mountains that contain the highest peaks in the world.
These large birds use their large wings and pockets of warm air to fly with minimal effort.
Part of: family Diomedeidae, which includes large seabirds Weight: Up to 22 pounds/10 kilograms Wingspan: males 8.2-11.8 feet/250-360 centimeters Found: throughout the oceans of the hemisphere south.
The Wandering Albatross is a unique bird.
Breeding pairs tend to mate for life, but only raise one per year.
This incredible bird is the last on our list, coming in at 22 pounds.
The main characteristic of this bird is its long wingspan.
The Wandering Albatross has a wingspan of 11-12 feet, which helps it to fly smoothly for hours!