Birds come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny hummingbird to the towering ostrich. But some of the largest birds to ever fly the skies went extinct long ago. Let’s explore the biggest extinct birds that history and science have uncovered.
Introducing the Largest Extinct Birds
The largest extinct birds fall into a group known as ratites. Ratites include modern day flightless birds like ostriches, emus, rheas, cassowaries, and kiwis. But during prehistoric times, ratites also included some giant species that would have dwarfed their modern relatives.
The largest extinct birds that we know of include:
- Elephant birds
- Giant moa
- Giant mihirungs
- Giant ducks
These massive birds went extinct within the last several thousand years or couple of million years. Let’s explore each giant bird group more closely.
Elephant Birds of Madagascar
One of the largest extinct birds is the family of elephant birds that lived on the island of Madagascar. Madagascar became isolated from mainland Africa over 85 million years ago, allowing some strange creatures to evolve in isolation.
The largest elephant birds stood over 10 feet (3 meters) tall and weighed nearly 1,000 pounds (450 kg). That’s around three times as heavy as an ostrich! They truly lived up to their name, being about the same mass as a small adult elephant.
Several elephant bird species existed. The smallest was the chicken-sized Mullerornis. More famous giants include Aepyornis and Vorombe. These tall birds had tiny wings and massive legs and feet for walking. They went extinct around 1,000 years ago after humans colonized Madagascar.
Elephant Bird Quick Facts
- Lived in Madagascar
- Went extinct around 1,000 years ago
- Up to 10 feet (3 m) tall and 1,000 lbs (450 kg)
- Largest species was Aepyornis maximus
- Massive legs and feet, tiny non-functional wings
Giant Moa of New Zealand
New Zealand was another island isolated from the rest of the world for 80 million years. With no land mammals to prey on birds, several species of moa evolved to giant sizes.
Moa belong to the same group of ratites as the elephant birds. They similarly had petite wings and oversized legs. At least 11 species ranged from turkey-sized to taller than an elephant bird at 12 feet (3.6 m) high.
The South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) was among the tallest moa and one of the tallest birds ever. It weighed around 500 pounds (230 kg). Other moa species were smaller at 200-300 pounds (90-140 kg).
Humans arriving in New Zealand just 700-800 years ago doomed the moa. Loss of habitat and over-hunting wiped them out quickly. However, mummified moa remains reveal insights into these giants.
Giant Moa Quick Facts
- Lived in New Zealand
- Went extinct around 700 years ago
- Up to 12 feet (3.6 m) tall
- Largest was South Island giant moa
- 500 lbs (230 kg) weight
Giant Mihrings of Australia
Australia was also home to various giant birds before humans arrived. The mihirungs belonged to the same group as emus and cassowaries alive today.
One massive mihirung species was Genyornis newtoni, nicknamed the giant mihirung or demon duck. It grew over 6.5 feet (2 m) tall and weighed 220-275 lbs (100-125 kg). That dwarfs the largest living bird in Australia, the emu.
With its long legs and neck, giant mihirung stood over 9 feet (2.7 m) when upright. It was likely a fast runner like today’s ratites. Giant mihirungs went extinct around 40,000 years ago after humans migrated to Australia.
Giant Mihirung Quick Facts
- Lived in Australia
- Went extinct 40,000 years ago
- 6.5 feet (2 m) tall
- Weighed 220-275 lbs (100-125 kg)
- Fast runner like emus
Giant Ducks of Ancient Oceans
All the giant birds we’ve explored so far lived on land. But prehistoric oceans were home to massive ducks and other waterfowl that went extinct.
One example is Gigantornis, appropriately nicknamed the giant duck. It lived during the Miocene Epoch over 5 million years ago. Standing nearly 6.5 feet (2 m) tall, it weighed around 250 lbs (110 kg).
Compared to modern ducks, Gigantornis was quite the beast. Its size rivaled early human ancestors alive back then! Other big extinct ducks and geese existed around the world as well.
Giant Duck Quick Facts
- Lived globally 5+ million years ago
- Up to 6.5 feet (2 m) tall
- Weighed around 250 lbs (110 kg)
- Much larger than modern ducks
- Example species Gigantornis
Comparison of the Largest Extinct Birds
Now that we’ve looked at some key extinct giant birds, how do they compare? This table summarizes the main size statistics of the largest species in each group:
Bird | Height | Weight |
---|---|---|
Elephant Bird | 10 feet | 1,000 lbs |
Giant Moa | 12 feet | 500 lbs |
Giant Mihirung | 6.5 feet | 220-275 lbs |
Giant Duck | 6.5 feet | 250 lbs |
This comparison shows the elephant bird as the clear winner for height and weight. The giant moa came in just behind. Next in line were the giant mihirung and ducks. All far exceed any living bird today!
What Explains the Giant Size?
So what allowed these birds to grow so huge compared to modern ostriches or emus? Two key reasons help explain their mammoth sizes:
- Lack of predators – On remote islands and continents, birds evolved for millions of years without major mammalian predators. This removed selective pressures that keep birds smaller elsewhere.
- Abundant resources – Isolated areas also provided plentiful food sources that could sustain giant herbivorous birds. With fewer competitors too, massive birds were free to thrive.
Together, minimal predators and abundant resources created ideal conditions for ratites to grow enormous. Somespecies reached heights and weights unmatched by any living bird.
Why Did the Giant Birds Go Extinct?
If these giant birds were so successful, why did they die out? Again, two major reasons essentially doomed them:
- Human arrival – When early humans reached islands like Madagascar and New Zealand, they hunted the naïve birds. Accustomed to no predators, the birds had little fear of humans.
- Habitat loss – Humans also burned forests and replaced wild habitat with farms. This deprived giant birds of food and shelter needed to survive.
Within just centuries or millennia of human arrival, the giant moa, elephant birds, and other species were hunted to extinction. Their huge size was no match for human ingenuity and expansion.
Could Giant Birds Ever Evolve Again?
Could we ever see birds as massive as the elephant bird or moa again in the future? Unfortunately, probably not anytime soon. Here are some barriers:
- Lack of isolated habitats – An interconnected world leaves little opportunity for new species to evolve in isolation.
- Predators now present – Mammals introduced worldwide prevent birds from losing anti-predator defenses.
- Humans dominate ecosystems – As major predators and landscape changers, humans limit available niches.
Birds may gradually get larger over time in some environments. But the unique conditions that created birds taller than giraffes and heavier than grizzly bears likely won’t be seen again.
Conclusion
The giant extinct birds discussed here represent some of the most imposing creatures to ever take flight. From elephant birds to giant moa and more, island ecosystems gave rise to ratites larger than many dinosaurs.
Sadly, the arrival of humans swiftly consigned these marvelous birds to extinction. Yet glimpses from fossil and subfossil remains hint at what astounding forms evolution can craft when animals are freed from predation. The giant birds show that sometimes, bigger is truly better in the game of survival.