The table contains a list of the largest birds living on this planet by wingspan, at maximum, assumed to be reliable by experts and verified records.
What bird has the largest wingspan of all time?
I made a point of saying that the albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird, as you may have noticed. This was for a reason, namely the fact that many extinct birds had even larger wingspans!
It is possible that a bird known as Pelagornis sandersi had wingspan of up to 21 feet (6 4m). That is equivalent to twice the largest wingspan of any bird that is currently alive. P. Sandersi was a member of the extinct order Odontopterygiformes, which had “teeth” in contrast to modern birds. These bill projections that resembled teeth and had functions similar to those of mammalian teeth were actually called pseudo-teeth. For this species, the only fossilized specimen found dates back about 25 million years.
Just like many of our modern day long-winged gliders, P. It is likely that Sandersi was a pelagic species that lived in prehistoric oceans.
The science behind what bird has the largest wingspan
The reason albatrosses have such absurdly large wingspans is because of their lifestyle and special adaptations. Specifically, long, thin wings have more surface area for gliding. This makes it simpler for birds to continue flying without having to flap their wings in order to gain momentum, such as albatrosses. This longer airfoil aids in keeping the bird aloft by sustaining airflow over the wing.
This is particularly true over the water, as the waves constantly cause tiny bits of air turbulence to break. Similar to the advantages that birds receive when they fly in a V formation, birds with longer wings, such as albatrosses, can take advantage of these air movements and get a free ride by flying low over the water.
It’s also important to recognize that there are other species of birds that exist besides the wandering albatross that have incredibly large wings. Here are some other absolute units:
- Great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus), 11.8ft (3.6m)
- Southern royal albatross (Diomedea epomophora), 11.5ft, (3.5m)
- Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), 11ft (3.3m)
- Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumenifer), 10ft (3.2m)
As the wandering albatross does, you may have noticed that all of these birds are either scavengers or ocean liners that ride waves. Scavengers such as vultures, storks, and condors must travel great distances to find carrion, or dead animals, to eat, much like pelagic birds do. Their wings are also designed to be extremely effective for gliding flight. They too have very long wings as a result to take advantage of
They use rising columns of warm air known as thermals that happen on warm, sunny days to generate air even though they don’t have ocean waves to do so. They will ascend to cruising altitude using these, much like air elevators, and then ride for free throughout their territory.
The list of the largest birds on Earth, measured by maximum wingspan, is included in the table. Experts have confirmed the accuracy of the information and records.
FAQ
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