The giant prehistoric bird that defied the physics of flight

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Pelagornis sandersi possessed a wingspan of up to 7.38 meters, dwarfing any living bird. Scientists long doubted such a creature could ever take to the skies, but new research suggests it mastered the ocean winds, gliding effortlessly over the waves like a colossal, ancient albatross.

Pelagornis represents an extinct genus of pseudotooth birds, named for the bony, tooth-like projections along their bills. These structures, which lacked enamel and did not grow in sockets, helped the birds grasp slippery prey. While the genus spanned from the Oligocene to the Early Pleistocene, its most famous member, Pelagornis sandersi, was identified in 2014 from a fossil discovered in 1983 at Charleston International Airport. This specimen, dating back 25 million years, features a wingspan estimated between 6.06 and 7.38 meters, making it the largest flying bird ever discovered.

The existence of such a massive avian predator challenged established theories regarding flight mechanics. Previous models suggested that a wingspan exceeding 5.2 meters would require more power than a bird's muscles could generate. However, these calculations assumed the bird relied on continuous flapping. Experts now believe Pelagornis sandersi utilized a highly efficient gliding strategy, similar to modern albatrosses, allowing it to travel vast distances over the ocean while conserving energy. With short, stumpy legs, it likely launched itself by hopping off coastal cliffs to catch air currents.

The classification of these birds has evolved significantly. Initially compared to albatrosses, they are now often placed within the Pelagornithidae family, with some evidence suggesting their closest living relatives are the Galloanserae, a group including ducks and geese. Despite their size, they were not skim-feeders, as the drag produced by such a method would have been too energy-intensive. Instead, they represent a remarkable evolutionary experiment in dynamic soaring, with fossils found globally, from Antarctica to Chile and New Zealand, illustrating their dominance over ancient marine environments.

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