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Elephant Bird

All articles tagged with #elephant bird

The Largest Egg: An Unexpected Animal's Surprise

Originally Published 4 months ago — by IFLScience

The largest eggs of any animal were laid by the extinct elephant bird Aepyornis maximus, weighing up to 1,000 kg, with fossil evidence suggesting even larger eggs from marine reptiles like mosasaurs. Currently, ostrich eggs are the largest among living birds, weighing about 2.6 kg. The article explores various giant eggs from extinct species and their significance in understanding animal evolution.

science science bird-evolution elephant-bird largest-eggs marine-reptiles mosasaur science

Elephant Bird: The Feathered Giant Weighing as Much as a Cow

Originally Published 5 months ago — by The Daily Galaxy

The elephant bird, the largest bird to have ever existed, was a massive, flightless herbivore from Madagascar that weighed over 2,000 pounds and laid enormous eggs. It went extinct around 1000 A.D., likely due to human activity, and now survives only in fossils and legends. Recent genetic studies reveal its close relation to the kiwi, highlighting its unique place in avian evolution.

science science elephant-bird extinction fossil-eggs giant-bird madagascar science