Elephant Bird
Aepyornis hildebranti
🦅
Chordata
Aves
Aepyornithidae
Aepyornis hildebranti
Once towering over the forests of Madagascar, Aepyornis hildebranti was one of several species of “elephant birds” — the heaviest birds to have ever lived. Though flightless and herbivorous, their massive eggs may have drawn the attention of early human settlers.
Description
Aepyornis hildebranti was a giant flightless bird endemic to Madagascar. It likely lived in the island’s humid forests and fed on fruits, leaves, and other plant matter. Its massive, thick legs and wide torso supported its bulk, but it was not built for speed. It laid the largest known bird eggs in history, with single eggs holding up to 10 liters of volume — equivalent to about 150 chicken eggs.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
235
0.5
2.7
1.8
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Herbivores – Browsers
Hunt History
Although there is no direct evidence of organized hunting of adult Aepyornis hildebranti, archaeological findings suggest that early humans in Madagascar collected and consumed their eggs, which would have been an extremely calorie-dense resource. The birds likely went extinct due to a combination of habitat destruction and pressure from human foraging, with evidence of egg shells showing cut marks and burn marks indicating human use.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
10000
BP
Late Pleistocene
Madagascar
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
8
Est. Renderable Fat
18.8
kg
Targeted Organs
Subcutaneous skin fat, marrow (limited), eggs
Adipose Depots
Subcutaneous skin fat; marrow limited
Preferred Cuts
Skin fat
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
2