If someone asked me to name and rank at least 10 big bird species, I would honestly have a challenge doing so.
Am sure am not alone.
This is why in this article we are making the work easier for everyone as we will be looking at 16 big bird species found in the world today.
Let’s start off with a table ranking these birds by weight and height.
Top 10 Big Bird Species (Ranking by Weight and Height)
| Big Bird Species | Average Weight | Average Height |
|---|---|---|
| Common Ostrich | 158 kg (348 lb) | 1.8 to 2.8 m (70.9 to 110.2 in) |
| Somali Ostrich | 100 to 156 kg (220 to 343 lb) | 1.8 to 2.8 m (70.9 to 110.2 in) |
| Southern Cassowary | 55 to 76 kg (121 to 168 lb) | 1.5 to 1.8 m (59 to 71 in) |
| Northern Cassowary | 55 to 76 kg (121 to 168 lb) | 1.2 to 1.8 m (47 to 59 in) |
| Emu | 65 kg (143.3 lb) | 1.5 to 1.9 m (59 to 74 in) |
| Emperor Penguin | 40 to 46 kg (88.2 to 101.4 lb) | 1.2 m (47.2 in) |
| Greater Rhea | 36 to 40 kg (79.3 to 88.1 lb) | 1.4 to 1.7 m (55.1 to 66.9 in) |
| Domestic Turkey | 39 kg (36 lb) | 1 to 1.3 m (39.4 to 51.2 in) |
| Dwarf Cassowary | 29 kg (63 lb) | 1 to 1.1 m (39 to 43 in) |
| Darwin’s Rhea | 28.6 kg (63 lb) | 1 m (39 in) |
The weight of these large birds makes it difficult for most of them to fly and as such renders them flightless such as the common ostrich. There are however few species that can fly despite being heavy. For example mute swans.
With that summary out of the way, let’s dive into analyzing these large birds.
16 Big Bird Species
1. Common Ostrich
- Appearance: Pinkish neck and thighs
- Height: 1.8 to 2.8 m (70.9 to 110.2 in)
- Weight: up to 158 kg (348 lb)
- Wingspan: 2 m (78 in)
- Location: Africa
The common ostrich is the biggest bird species and is known for its fierce nature and speed. This bird is flightless and can run at a speed of 70 kph (43 mph).
Its omnivorous and prefers grasslands, savannahs and open woodlands habitats and is a grazer.
The common ostrich has an average lifespan of about 30 to 40 years in the wild and can live for up to 70 years in captivity. [1]
2. Somali Ostrich
- Appearance: Blu-tinted neck and thighs
- Height: 1.8 to 2.8 m (70.9 to 110.2 in)
- Weight: 100 to 156 kg (220 to 343 lb)
- Wingspan: 2 m (78 in)
- Location: Horn of Africa
Somali Ostrich is common in the dry, hot savannas and woodlands of Sub-Saharan Africa. Unlike the common ostrich, this bird prefers more thickly vegetated areas and largely feeds by browsing.
The Somali Ostrich has an average lifespan is about 50 to 75 years.
3. Southern Cassowary
- Appearance: black feathers and blue face; two red wattles and a brown casque
- Height: 1.5 to 1.8 m (59 to 71 in)
- Weight: 55 to 76 kg (121 to 168 lb)
- Wingspan: 1.5 to 2 m (59 to 79 in)
- Location: north-eastern Australia, Indonsesia
Sometimes referred to as the double-wattled cassowary or Australian Cassowary is a big bird species that is flightless. It is mostly found in tropical rainforests and savannah forests.
This bird is stiff feathered with a horn-shaped casque on the head. They can sprint at a speed of 48 kph (30 mph) for short periods and are great swimmers. [2]
This bird has a lifespan of about 40 to 60 years in the wild.
4. Northern Cassowary
- Appearance: bright red or yellow neck and wattle
- Height: 1.2 to 1.8 m (47 to 59 in)
- Weight: 55 to 76 kg (121 to 168 lb)
- Wingspan: 1.5 to 2m (59 to 79 in)
- Location: northern New Guinea, Yapen Batanta and Salawati islands
This bird is also known as the single-wattled cassowary or golden necked cassowary. It is a large and flightless bird.
They prefer coastal swamps and lowland rainforest habitats of elevations below 490 m (1600 ft). They are great swimmers.
The Northern Cassowary has a average life expectancy of 40 to 50 years.
5. Emu
- Appearance: gray-brown feathers; blue-black head and neck
- Height: 1.5 to 1.9 m (59 to 74 in)
- Weight: up to 65 kg (143.3 lb)
- Location: Australia
The Emu is another big bird species that is named after the ‘moo’ sound that it makes. They prefer grassland, dry forests, semi-desert and wooded savannah habitats.
Compared to their body size, their wings are way smaller in size but their legs remain long and powerful. They are generally not social birds and tend to be loners.
Emus have a lifespan of 10 to 20 years in the wild and up to 35 years in captivity.
6. Emperor Penguin
- Appearance: black and white with orange and yellow tints on the neck, breast and head
- Height: up to 1.2 m (47.2 in)
- Weight: 40 to 46 kg (88.2 to 101.4 lb)
- Wingspan: up to 0.9 m (35.4 in)
- Location: Australia
This is a flightless warm-blooded large bird that likes temperate and subantarctic climates. They like to feed on Antarctic silverfish, cod, squid and krill.
The Emperor Penguin has a lifespan of 15 to 20 years in the wild and can live up to 50 years in captivity.
Related article: How long do birds live?
7. Greater Rhea
- Appearance: gray or brown feathers
- Height: 1.4 to 1.7 m (55.1 to 66.9 in)
- Weight: 36 to 40 kg (79.3 to 88.1 lb)
- Wingspan: up to 2.5 m (98.4 in)
- Location: southeastern South America
The greater rhea is a flightless bird. This is attributed to its heavy weight and the fact that it does not have the breast bone required for flying. [3]
They birds can run at a speed of 64kph (40mph). It mainly inhabits grassland and semiarid scrubland ecosystems.
This bird has a lifespan iof about 10 to 11 years.
8. Domestic Turkey
- Appearance: black and white feathers
- Height: 1 to 1.3 m (39.4 to 51.2 in)
- Weight: up to 39 kg (36 lb)
- Wingspan: 1.2 to 1.4 m (48 to 57 in)
- Location: North America
The domestic turkey is generally larger than the wild one and prefers open grassland spaces which are brushy and rich in forage and grass which is a source of food for them.
They have a lifespan of about 10 years.
9. Dwarf Cassowary
- Appearance: black casque, black head and face, deep blue neck and red-violet shoulders
- Height: 1 to 1.1 m (39 to 43 in)
- Weight: up to 29 kg (63 lb)
- Location: Yapen Island, New Guinea, New Britain
This is an omnivorous bird found in subtropical and tropical forests as well as mountain forests and is one of the smallest species of the cassowary family.
They are flightless but fast runners with a speed of 50 kph (30 mph).
The Dwarf Cassowary has a lifespan of about 40 years.
10. Darwin’s Rhea
- Appearance: gray-brown plumage with white underpants
- Height: up to 1 m (39 in)
- Weight: up to 28.6 kg (63 lb)
- Wingspan: less than 2.5 m (98.4 in)
- Location: South America
This bird is sometimes referred to as the lesser rhea or South American ostrich because it resembles a small ostrich.
The life expectancy of the Darwin’s Rhea bird is about 11 years in the wild and can live longer in captivity.
11. Mute Swan
- Appearance: entirely white body with an orange bill with a black base
- Height:1.4 to 1.7m (55.1 to 66.9 in)
- Weight: up to 23kg (50.7 lb)
- Wingspan: 2 to 2.5m (79 to 98.4 in)
- Location: northcentral Asia and Europe, British Isles
Another big bird species is the Mute Swan. These birds are currently common in urban parks in the United States.
They like temperate and cold climates and migrate a lot, especially during winter when they move to the Near East, northwest India, North Africa and Korea.
The Mute Swans like to feed on grains, aquatic vegetation and small amphibians.
Their long wings enable them to fly at high speeds of 80.4 to 88.5 kph (50 to 55mph) and make their flight quite audible. [4]
They can live for up to 19 years in the wild and up to 30 to 40 years in captivity.
12. Great Bustard
- Appearance: pale blue-gray head and neck with a brown or black body and white underpants
- Height: up to 1.2m (47.2 in)
- Weight: up to 21kg (46.3 lb)
- Wingspan: up to 2.5 m (98.4 in)
- Location: Asia, central and southern Europe & north Arica
The Great Bustard is a big bird that is found in grasslands and open agricultural land where there is little human interference.
These birds prefer cold and temperate climates.
They feed on legumes, flowers, rodents and earthworms and have a flight speed of 80kph (49.7 mph). During mating, the males release their bulging necks, cocked tails and heavy chests.
The Great Bustards live for up to 28 years.
13. King Penguin
- Appearance: black body with orange tear-shaped patches on each side of the head
- Height: up to 1 m (39.3 in)
- Weight: 16 to 20 kg (35.3 to 44 lb)
- Wingspan: up to 0.9 m (35.4 in)
- Location: rocky islands in the Antarctic Ocean, Crozet Island in the southern Indian Ocean, islands in the Canadian province and South Georgia in the southern Atlantic.
The king penguin is a carnivorous bird and likes to eat lantern fish and crustaceans. They prefer cold, temperate and polar climates and swim at a speed of 12 kph (7.5 mph).
These birds can live for 15 to 20 years.
14. Kori Bustard
- Appearance: brown feathered; grey and white underwings; black and white bands on the tail and yellow beak, legs and feet
- Height: up to 1.2m (47.2 in)
- Weight: up to 20kg (44 lb)
- Wingspan: 2.3 to 2.8 m (90.6 to 110.2 lb)
- Location: southwestern Africa; Horn of Africa
This bird drinks water by sucking rather than scooping like other ordinary birds.
They prefer tropical, arid and temperate climates and fly at a speed of 80 kph (49.7 mph).
Their diet consists mainly of insects such as locusts and other small animals.
The Kori Bustard has a life expectancy of 27 years.
15. Trumpeter Swan
- Appearance: entirely snow-white body with a black bill and black legs
- Height: up to 1.2 m (47.2 in)
- Weight: up to 17kg (37.5 lb)
- Wingspan: up to 2.4 m (94.5 in)
- Location: Alaska, northwestern United States and Canada
The trumpeter swan forages in shallow waters and eats aquatic vegetation.
This bird flies at a speed of 135 kph (83.9 mph) and can live for about 20 years and longer in captivity.
16. Wandering Albatross
- Appearance: white body with a large pink beak
- Height: 1.1 to 1.4m (43.3 to 55.1 in)
- Weight: up to 16 kg (35.3 lb)
- Wingspan: up to 3.5m (137.8 in)
- Location: South Georgia Island, Prince Edward and Marion Islands in South Africa, Macquarie Island in Australia and the French Kerguelen Islands
Also called the snowy albatross, this bird is a large seabird that spends a lot of its time at sea. specifically, the South Pacific and Southern oceans.
These birds are carnivores and mainly eat fish, squid and sometimes crustaceans. The wandering albatross has a life expectancy of over 50 years.
Big Bird Species (List)
In a nutshell, here is a list of 16 bird species found in the world today;
- Common Ostrich
- Somali Ostrich
- Southern Cassowary
- Northern Cassowary
- Emu
- Emperor Penguin
- Greater Rhea
- Domestic Turkey
- Dwarf Cassowary
- Darwin’s Rhea
- Mute Swan
- Great Bustard
- King Penguin
- Kori Bustard
- Trumpeter Swan
- Wandering Albatross
