55 bird species ranked from largest to smallest
With nearly 18,000 bird species across the planet, birds come in a dazzling range of sizes, colors, behaviors, habitats, diets and lifespans. They are truly a vibrant and diverse group.
What is the largest bird on Earth?
The largest bird on Earth is the common ostrich, which stands 2.1 m tall on average, with males reaching up to 2.8 m. Ostriches can also weigh between 90 kg and 130 kg. In keeping with their enormous size, ostrich eggs are among the largest in the world, averaging about 15 cm long and 12.5 cm in diameter and weighing 1.35 kg.
Here are a few more fascinating facts about ostriches:
- Ostriches have three stomachs.
- Ostriches excrete urine separately from feces.
- Ostriches are faster on land than any other bird; they can sprint at 70 km/h, and a single stride can cover up to 5 m.
- Ostriches have a wingspan of 2 meters but cannot use their wings to fly. Instead, they use these impressive wings in mating displays, to shade their chicks, to cover the bare skin on their legs to conserve heat, and as "rudders" to change direction while running.
- Ostriches have the largest eyes of any land animal, measuring 5 cm across. This allows them to spot predators such as lions from a great distance. In fact, an ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
What is the largest bird of prey?
The California condor is a species of vulture and is considered the largest bird of prey, with a body length of up to 140 cm. The California condor went extinct in the wild in 1987 but was later "brought back" to Arizona, Utah and the coastal mountains of California thanks to conservation efforts.
What is the smallest bird on Earth?
The smallest known bird on Earth is the bee hummingbird. The bee hummingbird measures just 5 cm, weighs less than a coin and is often mistaken for a bee. Found only in Cuba, it flits among vines and morning glories. It beats its wings 80 times per second in flight, and during the mating season, to impress a mate, it can raise that rate to as many as 200 beats per second.
To learn more, check out the infographic below exploring 55 of the world's bird species ranked from largest to smallest!
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