| Giant Teratorn | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||
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| Species | ||||||||||||
| Argentavis magnificens | ||||||||||||
Argentavis magnificens is an extinct bird from the late Miocene (about 6 million years before present) of South America. It is the largest flying bird ever discovered. It is sometimes known as the Giant Teratorn.
Physical characteristics
- wingspan: 8 m
- wing load: 1E2 Pa
- length: 3.5 m
- height: 2 m
- weight: 80-100 kg (estimated)
For comparison, the living bird with the largest wingspan is the Wandering Albatross (Diomedea exulans), and it reaches 3.5 m. Since A. magnificens was believed to be a land bird, another good point of comparison is the Andean Condor, Vultur gryphus, which some believe is a relative of Argentavis. The heaviest extant flying bird is not heavier than 20 kg (several contenders, among which the European Bustard Otis tarda and the African Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori)).
Behaviour
As with all extinct species not much can be known about the Giant Teratorn's behaviour. From the size and structure of its wings it is inferred that A. magnificens flew mainly by soaring, using flapping flight only during short periods. It is believed to have made use of the strong winds that swept through South America before the Andes reached their present size. It has been estimated ([1] (Spanish)) that the minimal velocity for the wing of A. magnificens is about 11 m/s or 40 km/h.
References
[1] Is there a limit to body size in flying birds? (Spanish)