Attenborough’s Big Birds | Natural World

Duration: 1'49''

Synopsis

David Attenborough looks at a group of birds notable for their size and the fact that they cannot fly.

Further Information

More clips from 2015-2016

Africa's Fishing Leopards | Natural World

Africa's Fishing Leopards | Natural World

BBC Two | 2015 | 2'11''

Geronimo! | Natural World

Geronimo! | Natural World

BBC Two | 2015 | 1'60''

Day-old Mandarin ducklings take their first flight from high above the forest floor.

King fishing in slow motion | Natural World

King fishing in slow motion | Natural World

BBC Two | 2015 | 1'07''

The highly skilled hunter the kingfisher can best be seen in slow motion.

Rhea war dance | Natural World

Rhea war dance | Natural World

BBC Two | 2015 | 1'40''

Male rheas fight to win a harem of females.

Super Powered Owls | Natural World

Super Powered Owls | Natural World

BBC Two | 2015 | 1'23''

Owls have a range of extraordinary powers from silent flight to super night vision.

More resources about Living Things and Their Habitats

1: Cauldron of Life | Galapagos

1: Cauldron of Life | Galapagos

BBC One | 2017 | 58'05

Liz Bonnin joins a scientific team aboard the research vessel the Alucia on an expedition across the Galapagos Islands.

1: Island of Marvels | Madagascar

1: Island of Marvels | Madagascar

BBC HD | 2011 | 58'41''

Series exploring Madagascar and its unique wildlife. David Attenborough reveals the most bizarre places and their inhabitants on this ecolo...

1: The Cold Blooded Truth | Life in Cold Blood

1: The Cold Blooded Truth | Life in Cold Blood

BBC One | 2008 | 57'40''

David Attenborough reveals the surprising truth about the cold-blooded lives of reptiles and amphibians.

1: The Infinite Variety | Life On Earth

1: The Infinite Variety | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'12''

The first ever episode of the landmark natural history series Life on Earth. David Attenborough explores the wildlife and landscape t...

1: Travelling | The Private Life of Plants

1: Travelling | The Private Life of Plants

BBC One | 1995 | 49'02''

David Attenborough begins his incredible journey into the world of plants with a look at how plants move from place to place.

10: Primates | Life

10: Primates | Life

BBC HD | 2009 | 58'54''

The nature documentary examines primates, including armies of Hamadryas baboons battling on the plains of Ethiopia, and macaques in Japan lounging in the...

10: Themes and Variations | Life On Earth

10: Themes and Variations | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 52'46''

David Attenborough looks at some of the huge variety of mammals. The tree shrew has attracted great interest as it shows how mammal...

11: The Hunters and the Hunted | Life On Earth

11: The Hunters and the Hunted | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'15''

David Attenborough explores the eternal duel between the hunters and the hunted - one of the driving forces of evolution.

12: Life in the Trees | Life On Earth

12: Life in the Trees | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'01''

David Attenborough's now-legendary encounter with young gorillas is featured in this episode as he looks at the history of primates.

13: The Compulsive Communicators | Life On Earth

13: The Compulsive Communicators | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 54'00''

David Attenborough seeks to explain how we came to dominate life on earth, tracing the African origins of humans to nearly t...

2: Building Bodies | Life On Earth

2: Building Bodies | Life On Earth

BBC Two | 1979 | 53'36''

Sir David Attenborough presents a revised version of the original wildlife series about the remarkable evolution of life on our planet. Th...

2: Civilisations | H2O: The Molecule That Made Us

2: Civilisations | H2O: The Molecule That Made Us

BBC Four | 2021 | 52'13''

This episode travels to the Congo, Egypt, China and Mexico to reveal how water changed humanity's footprint on the planet.

2: Growing | The Private Life of Plants

2: Growing | The Private Life of Plants

BBC One | 1995 | 49'07''

David Attenborough continues his incredible journey into the world of plants. Remarkable time-lapse photography reveals how new leave...

2: Land Invaders | Life in Cold Blood

2: Land Invaders | Life in Cold Blood

BBC One | 2008 | 57'35''

David Attenborough reveals the bizarre adaptations which have helped amphibians break their ties with water as he meets marsupial frogs...

2: Lost Worlds | Madagascar

2: Lost Worlds | Madagascar

BBC HD | 2011 | 58'50''

David Attenborough looks at the island's eastern coast, home to cyanide-eating lemurs and leaf-tailed geckos.

2: Reptiles and Amphibians | Life

2: Reptiles and Amphibians | Life

BBC HD | 2009 | 58'36''

David Attenborough reveals the strategies used by reptiles and amphibians to conquer their shortcomings, whether for safety, breeding or ca...

2: Secrets of the Deep | Galapagos

2: Secrets of the Deep | Galapagos

BBC One | 2017 | 58'02''

Liz Bonnin and the team of scientific experts set off beneath the waves in a specially equipped deep sea submersible and go in search of a...

2: The Deep | Blue Planet II

2: The Deep | Blue Planet II

BBC One | 2017 | 58'20''

The wildlife documentary series narrated by David Attenborough goes on groundbreaking journey to the deepest parts of the oceans.

2: The Deep | The Blue Planet

2: The Deep | The Blue Planet

BBC One | 2001 | 48'52''

David Attenborough narrates a natural history of the oceans to uncover the strange, otherworldly creatures living in the depths of the ocean.

2: The Lion in Your Lap | Cat Watch 2014: The New Horizon Experiment

2: The Lion in Your Lap | Cat Watch 2014: The New Horizon Experiment

BBC Two | 2014 | 59'05''

Liz Bonnin and a team of experts conduct a groundbreaking scientific study of cats. Discover how pet cat...

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5: Forests | Planet Earth III

BBC One | 2023 | 57'40''

Sir David Attenborough journeys into the forests, where dogs communicate with whistles, treehoppers fight assassin bugs, 'spirit bears' fish, a...

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BBC One | 2017 | 3'08''

Nutrients from the deep provide sustenance for a large gathering of sea life.

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BBC Two | 2017 | 2'09''

The super colony unites in a spectacular attack to defend their nest from curious cows.

Young spider monkey needs dad's help | Planet Earth II

Young spider monkey needs dad's help | Planet Earth II

BBC One | 2016 | 2'23''

In the forests of Guatemala a young spider monkey is going exploring. But she gets stuck and needs dad's help to get d...

Lizard Heaters | Life in Cold Blood

Lizard Heaters | Life in Cold Blood

BBC Two | 2014 | 3'53''

Wall lizards take advantage of foul-smelling dead-horse arums.

How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth? | Horizon

How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth? | Horizon

BBC Two | 2009 | 58'22''

Naturalist Sir David Attenborough investigates whether the world faces a population crisis and if it is the duty of indiv...

Cross-dresser | Life

Cross-dresser | Life

BBC One | 2009 | 2'22''

Some male cuttlefish are too small to fight for a mate, so have to come up with a sneaky plan if they are to get their way with the girls. Approaching a...

7: Great Plains | Planet Earth

7: Great Plains | Planet Earth

BBC One | 2006 | 58'56''

Documentary series which celebrates Earth in its natural glory. A look at the great plains - wildernesses which support the greatest gathering...

Our Precious Isles | Wild Isles

Our Precious Isles | Wild Isles

BBC One | 2023 | 57'14''

David Attenborough celebrates the rich variety of habitats in our wild isles, the existence of which is critical for the survival of species ...

2: Water Worlds | The Green Planet

2: Water Worlds | The Green Planet

BBC One | 2022 | 58'13''

A look at the beautiful, bizarre worlds created by water plants. Flowers smother rivers and lakes. Plants fight and hunt. A river bubbles ...

David Attenborough | The Queen's Platinum Jubilee

David Attenborough | The Queen's Platinum Jubilee

BBC One | 2022 | 1'32''

David Attenborough speaks about the environment. Also, includes footage of the drones that turn into animals.

COP26 delegates and climate scientists | Climate Change: The Facts

COP26 delegates and climate scientists | Climate Change: The Facts

BBC One | 2021 | 3'06''

COP26 delegates and climate scientist Hannah Cloke discuss their hopes for the COP26 conference.

Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World

Greta meets David Attenborough | Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World

BBC One | 2021 | 3'39''

Greta Thunberg and David Attenborough discuss their hopes for the future of the planet.

Poison dart frogs battle it out | Attenborough's Life in Colour

Poison dart frogs battle it out | Attenborough's Life in Colour

BBC One | 2021 | 1'15''

A poison dart frog fights off a contender until he's sufficiently warned off.

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Leopard seal vs penguin | Seven Worlds, One Planet

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Glaciers crumbling more quickly, due to climate change, give the advantage to leopard seals hunting penguins.

The People v Climate Change

The People v Climate Change

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An explanation as to why pandemic diseases are becoming more common d...

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Tait introduces her tiny pups to the rest of the pack as they emerge for the very first time. But the pack is visi...

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Swimming at speed, a school of anchoveta near the surface detect the vibrations of approaching predators. They close into a tight ball as ...

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A short montage of the fun and amazing moments David Attenborough has shared in his documentaries over a 70-year career.