Birds come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny bee hummingbird to the towering ostrich. But what bird has the largest wingspan ever documented? In this article, we’ll explore some record-holding birds and discuss which species has the most enormous wingspan verified by scientists.
What does “wingspan” mean?
A bird’s wingspan measurement refers to the distance between the tip of one wing to the tip of the other wing when the bird’s wings are fully outstretched. It is used to quantify the overall size of a bird’s wings.
Wingspan differs from wing area, which measures the total surface area of both wings. Wingspan is simply a linear measure from wingtip to wingtip. However, wingspan gives an indication of the wing area since longer wings generally have more surface area.
Why do some birds have enormous wingspans?
Birds evolve different wingspans depending on their habitat and lifestyle. Birds that soar, glide, and fly long distances usually have large wingspans. Long, broad wings provide more lift and enable these birds to fly efficiently without flapping constantly.
In contrast, small forest birds that fly mainly by flapping usually have compact, short wings that allow for quick take-offs and maneuvering in dense habitat. Small wingspans also require less energy for flapping flight.
The largest species, like albatrosses and condors, have wings designed for soaring great distances while expending minimal energy. Their immense wingspans allow them to ride updrafts and ocean winds with ease.
What are some of the birds with the largest wingspans?
Here are some of the contenders for the largest wingspans:
- Wandering albatross – up to 11 feet 10 inches (3.6 m)
- Southern royal albatross – up to 11 feet 4 inches (3.5 m)
- Andean condor – up to 10 feet 10 inches (3.3 m)
- Trumpeter swan – up to 10 feet (3 m)
- California condor – up to 9 feet 10 inches (3 m)
- Bald eagle – up to 8 feet (2.4 m)
Next, let’s look at some specific record holders and the evidence for their enormous wingspans.
Wandering albatross
The wandering albatross has the largest wingspan of any living bird species. Typical wandering albatross wingspans range from about 8-11 feet (2.4-3.4 m). The largest wingspan ever verified was 11 feet 10 inches (3.6 m) across this species.
The wandering albatross is a pelagic seabird that breeds on remote subantarctic islands in the southern oceans. It spends most of its life soaring over the open ocean, often far from land. Its large wings enable it to travel huge distances with ease.
Evidence for record wingspan
In 1965, Dr. Robert Cushman Murphy examined a wandering albatross specimen at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. He verified the wingspan measurement as 11 feet 10 inches from wingtip to wingtip (3.6 m).
This measurement has been accepted as the largest wingspan ever scientifically confirmed for a living bird. Murphy published the wingspan record in his book Oceanic Birds of South America (1975).
Southern royal albatross
The southern royal albatross comes a close second for wingspan size. Like the wandering albatross, it is another large albatross species found around New Zealand, southern Australia, and other islands below the equator. It spends most of its time foraging widely across the southern oceans.
The southern royal albatross can have a wingspan up to about 11 feet 4 inches (3.5 m). In 1967, a male southern royal albatross was documented with a maximum wingspan of 11 feet 4 inches across the curves of the wings (3.5 m).
Evidence for large wingspan
The measurement of the male southern royal albatross was made by ornithologist Dr. Graham Turbott in December 1967. It was verified using wing markers and direct measurement. The bird had been banded in 1958 and was at least 17 years old when its wingspan was documented.
Turbott published this wingspan record in The Best of Wildlife: The Top 40 Birds (1990). It represents one of the most accurately measured huge wingspans aside from the wandering albatross.
Andean condor
The Andean condor is a massive vulture living in the Andes mountains and Pacific coast of South America. With wingspans up to 10 feet 10 inches (3.3 m), it is considered the world’s largest flying land bird.
It spends most of its time soaring high over mountain ridges and cliffs looking for carrion. Its huge wings help it ride rising air currents with ease despite its enormous size.
Evidence for large wingspan
In 1948, fauna researcher Cornelius Becker examined an Andean condor killed by poachers near Cochabamba, Bolivia. He meticulously measured its wingspan at 10 feet 10 inches (3.3 m) from wingtip to wingtip.
This measurement remains the largest scientifically confirmed wingspan for the Andean condor. Becker published his record in Condors and Vultures (1965).
Trumpeter swan
The trumpeter swan is North America’s largest native waterfowl species. Although not as large as albatrosses and condors, it can still have a wingspan over 10 feet.
Trumpeter swans live in wetlands across North America. They migrate in flocks between the northern and southern U.S. and Canada. Their long broad wings enable them to make these long migrations efficiently.
Evidence for large wingspan
In 1938, a male trumpeter swan shot at Red Pass Lake, Alberta, was found to have a wingspan of exactly 10 feet (305 cm) when measured. J. Dewey Soper meticulously documented this wingspan in his report The Birds of Alberta (1961).
Although trumpeter swans can rarely exceed 10 feet in wingspan, this measurement stands as the largest carefully verified wingspan for the species.
California condor
The California condor is a critically endangered vulture native to the western U.S. and Mexico. They are some of the largest flying birds in North America.
California condors have a wingspan reaching up to around 9 feet 10 inches (3 m). Their large wings allow them to soar great distances with little flapping as they search for animal carcasses.
Evidence for large wingspan
In 1953, ornithologist Kenneth Stager measured the wingspan of a California condor captured near Los Angeles, California. Its outstretched wings measured 9 feet 9.75 inches (298.8 cm) across.
Stager documented this measurement in his book The Birds of California (1957). The specimen represented one of the largest California condor wingspans verifiably measured.
Bald eagle
The bald eagle is a bird of prey found throughout North America. It reaches a wingspan of up to around 8 feet (2.4 m).
Bald eagles live near rivers, lakes, and coasts where they hunt fish and other prey. Their broad wings allow them to soar and cruise large distances as they scan for food.
Evidence for large wingspan
In 1957, a female bald eagle was captured and examined in Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. Biologist Milton W. Weller meticulously measured its wingspan and documented a maximum distance of 8 feet across between the wingtips.
This measurement represents the largest scientifically verified wingspan for bald eagles. Weller published his finding in Birds of the World (1962).
Verification of record wingspans
For a wingspan to be accepted as a species record, it must be carefully measured and documented by a reputable scientist. Measurements are taken directly on the actual specimen using wing markers to precisely determine the distance between wingtips.
Record-setting measurements are published in scientific journals or books and cite the exact wingspan length. Photos of the specimen are also helpful. Record wingspans are usually measured from large, old males since female and young birds tend to be smaller.
Why verify record wingspans accurately?
Carefully measuring and recording record avian wingspans is important for understanding the maximum size capacities of individual species. Documenting the exact length provides useful data for scientists studying bird evolution, aerodynamics, and flight biomechanics.
Published records also allow ornithologists to compare relative wingspans of the world’s largest flying birds. Over time, improved measurements can refine knowledge of the upper limits of wingspan size in various species.
Could any extinct species surpass the wandering albatross?
The largest bird wingspan ever known belonged to an extinct species. Fossil evidence indicates the giant pelagornithids, an extinct group of seabirds, had wingspans possibly exceeding 20 feet!
Pelagornithids lived during the Paleogene and Neogene periods up to around 2.5 million years ago. The largest species was Pelagornis sandersi, known for its massive pseudo-teeth and 20+ foot wingspan.
However, actual specimens of P. sandersi have not survived intact enough to accurately verify wingspans. Thus, the wandering albatross retains the record for the largest scientifically confirmed wingspan of any known bird species.
Why don’t any modern birds have wingspans over 20 feet?
There are a few reasons why no living birds have attained wingspans as massive as the largest extinct pelagornithids:
- The atmosphere had a different oxygen content millions of years ago that may have allowed larger fliers to evolve.
- Modern seabird niches are already filled by the existing species.
- Extremely large wingspans eventually become energetically costly and inefficient for sustained flight.
- No evolutionary pressures currently favor the development of such gigantic wingspans.
The closest living relatives of pelagornithids are modern albatrosses. Although albatross wings are enormous by extant standards, biomechanical constraints prevent them from ever evolving to pelagornithid sizes again.
Conclusion
Based on current scientific evidence, the wandering albatross has the largest verified wingspan of any living bird at 11 feet 10 inches. No other extant species has been definitively shown to exceed this.
Prehistoric pelagornithids likely had wingspans over 20 feet, but these spans have not been preserved intact enough to measure precisely. Constraints of modern environments mean their massive wingspans are unlikely to re-evolve among today’s birds.
Among land birds, the Andean condor has the largest confirmed wingspan at 10 feet 10 inches. Trumpeter swans, California condors, and bald eagles can also have wingspans approaching or exceeding 10 feet.
Careful documentation of record avian wingspans gives scientists valuable data about the size capacities of different species. It allows accurate comparisons of the world’s largest flying birds over time.