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