which bird has the largest wingspan in the world

The bird with the largest wingspan in the world is the wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans).

Quick Scoop

• The wandering albatross holds the record for the greatest wingspan of any living bird, with verified measurements up to about 3.6–3.7 meters (around 11.8–12.1 feet).

• This enormous wingspan lets it glide for hours over the Southern Ocean with very little wing flapping, conserving energy on long sea crossings.

• Close “runners‑up” include the great white pelican, southern royal albatross, and Dalmatian pelican, all reaching around 3.5–3.6 meters.

A bit of context

Bird lists and record books consistently rank the wandering albatross at the top for wingspan among living birds, with Guinness World Records also recognizing it as the record holder. Some sources mention unverified or anecdotal larger spans for other big birds, but the reliably measured and widely accepted champion is the wandering albatross.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.