The Aepyornis maximus, or elephant bird, native to Madagascar and died out in the 1600's.

According to SOWPODS (the combination of Scrabble dictionaries used around the world) there are 7 words with the pattern ----OR-I-. That is, nine letter words with 5th letter O and 6th letter R and 8th letter I. In alphabetical order, they are:

aepyornis

consortia

euphorbia

meteoroid

metformin

primordia

subtorrid

According to SOWPODS (the combination of Scrabble dictionaries used around the world) there are 12 words with the pattern --P-O--I-. That is, nine letter words with 3rd letter P and 5th letter O and 8th letter I. In alphabetical order, they are:

aepyornis

captopril

coprozoic

diploidic

diplontic

diplozoic

euphorbia

haploidic

haplontic

hypnotoid

saprozoic

typhoidin

The largest bird to have ever lived is the Madagascan Elephant Bird or Aepyornis. This flightless bird is thought to have have weighed up to 1100 pounds and have reached 11 feet in height. The tallest bird in the world was the New Zealand Giant Moa which could grow to 13 feet. The largest flying bird was the Argentavis of South America. Also called the Giant Teratorn, this bird could have a wingspan up to 26 feet. All these birds are now extinct.

Yeah, about 3,290 in the TWL (the Scrabble dictionary). Here are a handful:

abducting

abduction

abductors

abjection

ablutions

abnormity

abolished

abolisher

abruption

absconder

absoluter

absolvent

absolving

absurdity

abusively

abutilons

acetoxyls

acidulent

aconitums

acroleins

acroliths

actioners

ademption

adipocyte

adjunctly

adjusting

adjustive

admixture

adoringly

adsorbent

adsorbing

advecting

advection

adversity

adverting

aepyornis

aequorins

aeroducts

aeroliths

afterglow

aglycones

aitchbone

albicores

alchemist

alchymies

aleuronic

algometry

algorithm

alkoxides

almonries