Archive · 16 Sep 2026
Ostrich Tops List of World’s Heaviest Living Birds
Birds can be very small or very large.
Some birds weigh more than 100 kilograms.
The ostrich is the heaviest living bird described here.
A very large male can weigh about 156 kilograms.
It can grow nearly 2.75 metres tall.
Ostriches cannot fly because their bodies are built for life on land.
Instead, their strong legs help them run quickly.
They can reach about 70 kilometres per hour.
The article’s title refers to five heavy birds, but its provided text gives details only about the ostrich.
The ostrich is identified as the world’s heaviest living bird.
A particularly large male ostrich can weigh up to about 156 kilograms.
Ostriches can stand nearly 2.75 metres tall.
Ostriches are flightless and adapted for running rather than flying.
They can reach speeds of around 70 kilometres per hour, the fastest speed among birds on land.
- Who
- The ostrich, especially a particularly large male.
- What
- The ostrich is identified as the world’s heaviest living bird, weighing up to about 156 kilograms.
- Where
- On land; no specific geographic location is stated.
- Why
- Its body has evolved for life on land and running rather than sustained flight.
- Species
- Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
- Maximum reported weight
- About 156 kilograms
- Height
- Nearly 2.75 metres
- Flight ability
- Flightless
- Primary adaptation
- Running on land
- Reported top speed
- Around 70 kilometres per hour
- Ranking
- World’s heaviest living bird