article_snippet: The flightless birds, which stood nearly 10 feet (three metres) tall and weighted half a tonne, died out in the 17th century after heavy hunting.
article_snippet: Finally much of the habitat the the elephant birds once inhabited has now changed, so there may be few places where such a large species could now live.
article_snippet: The mother either ran away from the nest or was killed.'
article_snippet: the now extinct elephant bird (right) which grew to around ten feet tall and lived in Madagascar until the 17th Century, was one of the largest birds to have ever lived.
article_snippet: the now extinct elephant bird (right) which grew to around ten feet tall and lived in Madagascar until the 17th Century are thought to have been common in Madagascar until the now extinct elephant bird (right) which grew to around ten feet tall and lived in Madagascar until the 17th Century wre hunted into extinction during the 17th Century.
highlights_snippet: Elephant birds died out during the 17th century after being heavily hunted .