The giant elephant bird (Aephornis maximus), which is extinct and is shown in the image below under the heaviest birds, laid one-foot-long eggs, with the liquid capacity of an elephant egg being twice that of a chicken egg. Twenty-five gallons is the same as seven ostrich eggs and over twelve thousand hummingbird eggs. Upon their return from their African coast expeditions, early Arabian and Indian explorers brought tales of enormous birds that surpassed the size of a man. huge eggs, up to three feet in circumference. These were the eggs of a bird that would subsequently be called Vouron Patra, or the Elephant Bird (Aepyornis maximus). The Elephant Bird laid eggs that were bigger than any dinosaur egg, bigger even than an egg that could still be structurally intact. the largest single cells to have ever existed on Earth.
“The perfect mix of brains and beauty” has been said of the African Grey Parrot (Bird Talk, Aug. 92) and the “cadillac of parrots” (Bird Talk Sept. 93). The extraordinary gift of speech that members of this species possess is largely responsible for their notoriety. While many parrots pick up a few words or phrases, African Greys have been known to pick up several lines from plays, prayers, or songs. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Prudle, an African Grey parrot, is the best talking parrot or parrot-like bird. When Prudle “he” retired from public life in 1977, he had nearly a thousand words in his vocabulary. Prudle was captured in the Jinja, Uganda region in 1958. After only a few exposures, many owners have been taken aback (and occasionally horrified) when their Grey learned a new word or phrase. In this regard, one of our favorite tales was told by a priest who owned a Greyhound. Using a hammer, the priest struck his hand while hanging some pictures in his office. He unleashed a tirade of expletives that his Grey had picked up (from this one incident, the priest claimed). Grey has a talent for mimicking, and this made the priests even more embarrassed because they frequently sound just like the person who said the words or phrase. [contributed by Harold Armitage, Wild Macaws Wild Macaws].
Vultur gryphus, the Andean condor, is the largest species of raptor bird. Males measure 2027 pounds with a minimum 10-foot wingspan. It is reported that the weight of a male California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) preserved at the California Academy of Sciences is 31 pounds. The species rarely weighs more than 23 pounds.
Of all living birds, the Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans) has the largest wingspan. It can therefore stay in the air for several hours at a time without flapping its wings, making it an expert glider. The oldest known specimen was a male who was eleven feet tall. 11 in. wingspan. It was caught in the Tasman Sea in September 1965. It has also been known to sleep while it flies!.
Of all the parrots, the Hyacinth Macaw is the most majestic. It is found in Brazil, measuring approximately 1100 mm. Harold Armitage contributed this image from Wild Macaws Wild Macaws. Though the Green Wing Macaw and Hyacinth Macaw are sometimes called the “gentle giants” of the macaw family The hyacinth is a true “dream bird” for anyone who enjoys birds. The Hyacinth macaw can grow up to 42 inches in length overall, and its powerful beak can quickly and easily break apart a welded wrought iron cage bar by bar. Among all the macaws, this one is the most relaxed and easy-going despite their incredible strength.
The earthworms in the soil move around as a result of the bird’s rocking motion, making them simple to find. Subsequently, the large beak emerges, followed by the meal. In this case, the zaniest bird gets the worm. I wonder if the worms emerge merely to observe the birds grooving. Weird, weird wildlife.
FAQ
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