Argentavis magnificens, the magnificent Argentine bird, is an extinct species known from Argentina. This massive bird lived during the late Miocene period, about 6 million years ago. It had a wingspan of up to 7 meters and was one of the largest flying birds ever.
Argentavis was a predator that may have hunted small mammals, reptiles and other birds. It likely flew by soaring on air currents, rather than flapping its wings.
Only a few Argentavis probably lived in a small range at one time. Males and females met infrequently to breed. The birds needed up to 10 years to reach maturity due to their large size. They had long lifespans.
Sadly, Argentavis and many other megafauna went extinct around the same time, about 10,000 years ago. Potential reasons include climate change, competition, and hunting by early humans. In the case of Argentavis, humans were probably not a factor in their extinction.
Argentavis fossils were first discovered in Argentina in 1979. The fossils indicated the colossal size of these ancient birds. Argentavis remains one of the most spectacular prehistoric creatures ever known.
Was argentavis magnificens the largest flying bird ever?
Argentavis magnificens was the largest flying bird ever. It lived in Argentina about six million years ago. This bird is also called Giant Teratorn. Only Pelagornis sandersi could be bigger.
Argentavis had a wingspan from 23 to 30 feet. That’s two to three times longer than the largest modern flying bird, the Wandering Albatross. Its closest living relative is the Andean Condor. So imagine an enormous condor.
Current estimates of its size are: Wingspan – 23 feet. Wing area – 87 square feet. Body length – 4 feet. Height – 6 feet. Mass – 150 to 170 pounds.
Argentavis fossils have been found in central and northwestern Argentina. This was a giant predatory bird that likely scavenged food across a 500 square kilometer territory. With wings too long to take off from the ground, Argentavis probably used air currents and updrafts to launch itself into the air.
Recently a skeleton of Argentavis was displayed in a museum. At over 8 meters wingspan and 3.5 meters tall, it was almost twice the size of the previous record holder for largest flying bird. So Argentavis magnificens is now considered the world’s largest flying bird ever.
What is the common name for argentavis magnificens?
The Giant Teratorn — Argentavis magnificens — was an absolutely enormous flying bird. It lived in Argentina during the late Miocene, about six million years ago. It’s the largest species of flying bird ever discovered. It had a wingspan probably between 23-30 feet. That’s about 2-3 times longer than that of the living bird with the largest wingspan –the Wandering Albatross. Its closest living relative is probably the Andean Condor.
The Argentavis were large predatory birds. They had a large beak with cone-shaped spikes, similar to teeth. They hunted small land animals. They likely fed on larger animals’ corpses too. These birds could spot prey from very high in the air. When hunting, Argentavis possessed very stout, strong legs, with large feet. Their bill was also relatively large, with a hooked tip and a wide gape.
The current estimates on Argentavis magnificens size are: Wingspan: approximately 23 feet. Wing area: 87.3 ft2. Wing loading: 84.6 N/m2. Body Length: 4.1 feet. Height: 5.6–6.6 feet. Mass: 154–171.6 lbs. The Argentavis belongs to the kingdom Animalia, the phylum Chordata, and the class Aves. However, what sets it apart from other birds is that it belongs to the order Teratornithidae, a group of giant birds that are now extinct.
The genus Argentavis magnificens was one of the largest flying birds ever to have lived, with a wingspan of 7–8 m (23–26 ft) and a mass of 70–100 kg (150–220 lb). Fossils of Argentavis were collected from three sites in Argentina dating back 9-6.8 million years ago. A good number of Argentavis fossil remains have been recovered. Today, this bird is a symbol of the incredible diversity of life that has existed.
What is the lifespan of argentavis magnificens?
Argentavis magnificens, known as the Giant Teratorn, was an enormous flying bird which lived in Argentina about six million years ago during the late Miocene. With an estimated wingspan of 7-8 meters (23-26 feet) and weighing 70-100 kg (150-220 pounds), it was one of the largest flying birds ever. It possessed an eagle-like beak allowing it to easily swallow prey whole.
Fossils were found in northwestern and central Argentina dating to six to nine million years ago. Researchers believe Argentavis had a much larger range than currently known since a closely related species lived along North America’s west coast and likely interacted with humans.
Argentavis belonged to the now extinct Teratornithidae family of giant predatory birds related to storks and vultures. It was not the largest bird, but still the heaviest flying bird. Scientists disagree if it was an active predator or mainly a scavenger. Due to its large size, it would have required 20 pounds of meat daily. As a mostly soaring glider, an active hunting lifestyle was likely unsustainable.
With few predators, Argentavis possibly had a long 50-100 year lifespan. It laid one or two 2.2 pound eggs every two years, likely incubating in winter. Its dependence on wind and food supply suggests it followed a K-selection life strategy, avoiding population exhaustion. Though gigantic, Argentavis was probably surpassed in wingspan by the later discovered Pelagornis sandersi.