 Sexual size dimorphism in this species is perhaps the greatest in any neognath bird . Males were considerably larger than females , measuring 90 cm ( 35 in ) in length and weighing up to 28 kg ( 62 lb ) , whereas females were 70 cm ( 28 in ) and weighed 17 kg ( 37 lb ) . This is only 60 % of the weight of a mature male . Their weight may have varied substantially due to fat cycles , meaning that individuals were fat during cool seasons , but slim during hot seasons , and may have been as low as 21 kg in males and 13 kg in females . Though male pigeons are usually larger than females , there is no direct evidence for the largest specimens actually being the males of the species , and this has only been assumed based on early works . Though the male was probably largest , this can only be confirmed by molecular sexing techniques , and not skeletal morphology alone . 
