TOP 10 largest birds in the world (11 photos)

Many people associate birds with something light, free and melodious. But in nature there are birds that look more like dinosaurs! So, we invite you to look at a selection of 10 birds that are the healthiest and heaviest in nature.

10th place. Small rhea (28 kg)





The small rhea is small only compared to the large rhea. In general, this bird, which lives in Chile, Peru and Bolivia, reaches a height of 1 meter.

9th place. Dwarf cassowary or cassowary-muruk (34 kg)



This long-legged beauty reaches a height of 110-120 cm. The bird lives in the mountain forests of New Guinea and on the island of Yapen. Interestingly, cassowaries are monogamous. Males themselves prepare the nest and hatch the offspring, while females only lay eggs.

8th place. Wild turkey (38 kg)





This is the only bird on the list of the largest in the world that, despite its size, can fly. The height of male individuals of this species reaches 120 cm. And although the turkey can use its wings for their intended purpose, the bird does not fly very high, and it can only fly a short distance.

7th place. Greater rhea (40 kg)



The great rhea is the largest surviving native bird in the Americas. Representatives of the species reach a height of 140 cm. Birds can be found in Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and northern Germany. In northern Germany? Yes exactly! In 2000, 5 females and one male escaped from the farm and bred in farmland. At the time of 2018, there were already 588 wild rheas living in Germany.

6th place. Emperor penguin (46 kg)



These brightest representatives of Antarctica have a modest height - only 115 cm. But this does not prevent them from being plump (some individuals reach 50 kg). Well, how else can you survive in a climate where the temperature sometimes drops to -60°C?

5th place. Emu (60 kg)



Emus are very tall. They reach 190 cm. The birds' habitat is Australia. Despite the fact that some individuals weigh over 60 kg, they develop an incredible running speed of 55 km/h.

4th place. Orange-necked cassowary (75 kg)



The birds reach a height of 150 cm. These big guys live in New Guinea. The bird is distinguished by its secrecy and does not make contact with people (and if it does, it is better to hide from it on a higher tree). The shrinking habitat of the orange-necked cassowary has led to its inclusion in the International Red Book as a vulnerable species.

3rd place. Helmeted cassowary (85 kg)





The height of these birds is 150 cm. They are the most common among all types of cassowaries. Despite their heavy weight, cassowaries run very fast and jump well.

2nd place. Somali ostrich (110 kg)



These robust creatures reach a height of 250 cm. These handsome creatures live in Africa. Their males have contrasting black and white plumage, while the females have rich brown plumage. Previously, the bird was considered a subspecies of the African ostrich, but in 2014, the Somalis were introduced into a separate species.

1 place. African ostrich (156 kg)



And here it is, the largest (up to 160 kg) and tallest bird species (up to 275 cm). African ostriches cope well with threats even without their wings, because they can quickly move across the savannah on their own two feet. Their running speed reaches an incredible 70 km/h.