Known as the largest flying bird to ever be discovered,
the Argentavis magnificens or the magnificent Argentine bird lived on the mountainsides of Argentina six million years
ago.
The photo above shows a silhouette of A. magnificens for size comparison with a human
The Argentavis magnificens is closely related to the Andean
Condor, but it is speculated that Argentavis magnificens could also actively hunt and take
live prey, as well as feeding on the remains of the deceased. With a wingspan of twenty-three feet
and weighing up to one hundred and seventy pounds this juggernaut of the sky
had to use the energy provided by the atmosphere to get
airborne.
A. magnificens had wings that were too long to just jump up and fly off
into the sky, so like many other very large flying birds A. magnificens used a few tricks to get the lift
needed to get off the ground. Just
like a hang glider A. magnificens probably took advantage of the headwinds and updrafts
associated with high elevations to get its massive body off the ground. Once in the air A. maginificens would have ridden the thermals to
stay aloft just like birds today.
A. magnificens stood at around six feet tall and had a bill designed
like an eagle rather than the modern day vultures and condors. Because of the fossilized bone
structure, the legs were probably big and
strong, suggesting that A. magnificens was well adapted to walking long distances and
living on the ground as well as soaring high in the sky. It is theorized that A. magnificens would patrol the skies of the
open grasslands feeding primarily on the carcasses of land animals.
A. magnificens also was an active hunter at times, when the opportunity presented
itself. A. Magnificens would probably have a hunting
technique unique among other birds of prey because of its immense size. It would most likely have to catch its prey off guard by swooping in
from behind and picking it up and eating it without ever leaving the sky.
A. magnificens was truly a big animal and pushed the size limit to the
edge for flying. To give you an idea
of the mass of A. Magnificens--in comparison to the Bald Eagle, A. magnificens was about sixteen times heavier
and had a wing span triple that of the Bald Eagle.
For a more in-depth description of this magnificent bird
Click Here to read a paper written by Dr. Kenneth E. Campbell published
by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County in 1980.
In my humble opinion A. magnificens was one of the most impressive
creatures that walked or flew on our planet.
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