GEOGRAPHIC EXTREMES SOCIETY
AUSTRALIAN RECORDS
Birds
Australia has some of the most diverse assemblages of birds and some of the largest birds in the world.
Largest Bird
Wild populations of Ostrich still persist in Australia, especially north of Port Augusta in South Australia where they have lived with steadily reduced numbers for decades. There are other recorded populations in New South Wales and Central Queensland that have escaped from ostrich farms. Ostriches can weigh over 100 kilograms and the males can stand almost 3 metres tall. The emu is the continent’s tallest bird and often touted as the world’s second-largest avian species. However, the southern cassowary is a much heavier bird, with some weights for the larger females coming in at 76 kilograms. Female emus are again the heavier of the two sexes, weighing just under 50 kilograms for the largest specimens.
Southern cassowary. Largest Australian (native) bird. Image: Australian Wildlife Journeys
Largest Flying Bird
To achieve flight, modern birds rarely attain a weight of over 20 kilograms. Only the mute swan and giant bustard have a reputation for achieving these great weights while still maintaining the ability to fly. It seems that 20 kilograms isn’t the ceiling to enable flight. For in fossil records, flying birds have been known to weigh over 40 kilograms. The largest flying birds in Australia are some exceptional individuals of the male Australian bustard that weigh up to 14 kilograms. This record may be surpassed by feral populations of mute swans that adorn Perth’s Avon River.
Male Australian Bustard. Largest Australian flying bird. Image: Wikimedia Commons
Largest wingspan of Australian birds
The greatest wingspan of Australian birds certainly belongs to two very similar-sized albatross species. The wandering albatross is, on average, the heaviest of the group, but it’s the southern royal albatross that can attain the greatest wingspan recorded of 3.5 metres. Many travellers to inland Australia would have come across the sight of massive wedge-tailed eagles feeding on roadkill and been amazed at the size of their wings, which can span 2.8 metres.
Southern Royal Albatross. The longest wingspan of Australian Birds. Image: Ian Armitage
Largest Pigeon
The worlds largest pigeon was the now extinct Dodo of Mauritius and nearby Rodrigues Island. They are a perfect example of Fosters Rule whereby species can grow large on Islands. It appears the Dodo’s closest living relative is the Nicobar pigeon of Islands to the north of Australia. The world’s largest pigeon, Victoria’s crowned pigeon lives along New Guinea’s northern coastline and can weigh in at over 3.5 kilograms. The largest living Australian pigeon is the Christmas Island Imperial pigeon weighing in at 700 grams. It is followed closely by the Collared Imperial pigeon from the northern Torres Strait and the topknot pigeon of eastern Australian rainforests, who both weigh over 600 grams.
Christmas Island imperial pigeon. Largest Australian pigeon. Image: Jenny Stiles
Largest Australian Parrot (Psittaciformes)
In 2008, researchers uncovered a giant extinct parrot in New Zealand’s Central Otago, which was estimated to weigh a massive 7 kilograms. This double the size of the largest living parrot species, the kakapo (3.6 kg), also of New Zealand and the slightly smaller Blue Macaw from South America. In Australia the largest of the parrot families is the Palm Cockatoo from Cape York Peninsula, weighing in at 1200 grams. Sulphur-crested and yellow-tailed black-cockatoos both have the ability to reach the one-kilogram weight with the Queensland sub-species of the red-tailed black-cockatoo most probably having the greatest wingspan.
Palm Cockatoo. Largest of Australia’s Parrot families. Image: David King
Bird Records
GES Record: Largest Bird in Australia. Southern Cassowary. Casuarius casuarius 76 kilograms (Source: Qld Dept of Environment)
GES Record: Largest Australian flying bird. Australian Bustard. Ardeotis australis 14.5 kilograms (Source: Guinness book of animal facts and feats)
GES Record: Largest Wingspan. Southern royal albatross. Diomedia epomorphora wing 707mm (Source: Australian Bird Guide 2017)
GES Record: Largest Australian Duck. Musk duck, Biziura lobata 3.1 kilograms (Source: Australian Bird Guide 2017)
GES Record: Largest Australian Parrot. Palm Cockatoo. Probosciger aterrimus (Source: Joseph Foreshaw 2006)
GES Record: Largest Australian Pigeon. Christmas Island imperial-pigeon. Ducula whartoni 700 grams (Source: Australian Bird Guide 2017)
The Geographic Extremes Society welcomes any input as to the veracity of these records and we encourage everyone to contribute to these extreme records by contacting us to initiate the discussion