Scientists have named the largest bird in history

The largest bird in the world, the elephant bird (epyornis), lived in Madagascar. It disappeared from the face of the Earth about 1,000 years ago. It is larger and heavier than even the largest ostriches.

The elephant bird belonged to a group of flightless birds that includes ostriches, emus, and kiwis. It weighed over 900 kilograms and was over three meters tall. These birds were distinguished by their large legs and bodies. They lived in the forests on the plains of Madagascar, where there were few predators.

A unique feature of elephant birds is their eggs, which reached 33 centimeters in length and contained about 7.5 liters of liquid. Scientists continue to find fossilized eggs, sometimes they wash up on the coast.

The birds ate fruits, leaves and low-growing plants. And their closest relatives are small kiwis that live in New Zealand. According to scientists, the extinction of elephant birds is associated with human activity.

Recall that a new giant insect was discovered in Australia.

To be continued…