The Argentavis is the first flyer that changes how you play, and the reason is not speed.
It is the first flying creature with enough carry capacity to make trips worth planning. Everything before it is a scout. This one is transport.
Why you want it
Carrying. The Argentavis moves weight, which means metal runs, stone runs and cargo stops being walks.
Reach. Mountain peaks, cliff bases and island interiors become routes instead of projects.
Fighting from above. It can carry a rider with a weapon, which makes it the first tame that lets you solve a ground problem without landing.
The numbers
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Health | 365 |
| Damage | 25 |
| Weight | 400 |
| Group | Aerial, Birds |
| Diet | Carrion feeder |
| Temperament | Territorial |
| Saddle | Level 62 |
Read the 25 damage as a warning rather than a stat. This is a territorial bird that will fight you while you are trying to knock it out, and it is faster than you are.
Where to find them
Argentavis spawn in elevated terrain — the mountain regions and the high ground around them.
That location is the whole difficulty. You are fighting on a slope, with no flat ground for a trap, and a fall is a real risk to both of you. Scout the spot before you commit.
How to knock it out
Build the trap where you can. A three-wall enclosure with a ramp or a door frame is the standard answer. On flat ground near the spawn it is easy; on a cliff it may not be possible, in which case you need a different plan.
Use a bola first if you can. Argentavis are flyers, and a flyer on the ground is a completely different fight. Grounding it early turns the encounter from a chase into a job.
Tranquiliser arrows, not a slingshot. At 365 health this is not an early tame, and the torpor requirement is beyond primitive tools. Come with a crossbow and a real supply.
Watch the fight, not the torpor bar. A territorial Argentavis will interrupt your work. Keep it grounded, keep your distance, and let the torpor do the work.
What to feed it
| Food | Type |
|---|---|
| Superior Kibble | Preferred, made from any Large Egg |
| Raw Mutton | Fallback |
| Raw Prime Meat | Fallback |
Superior Kibble tames it far faster and preserves much more taming effectiveness. If you have the eggs, use them. If you do not, raw mutton and raw prime meat still work, and the difference is mostly time.
The saddle gate
The Argentavis saddle unlocks at level 62.
Plan for this. Taming an Argentavis before you can craft its saddle means you own a bird you cannot ride, which is a very expensive pet. Check the saddle requirement before you spend the kibble.
After the tame
Put it in a pen with walls. A flyer that escapes is gone, and an escaped flyer with your saddle on it is a very bad afternoon.
Then use it for the thing it is good at: weight. The first metal run with an Argentavis is the moment the mid-game starts.
The Ankylo trick
Tame an Argentavis and an Ankylosaurus and you have the most efficient metal run in the early game. The bird picks the Ankylo up, flies it to a metal node, and the Ankylo harvests while the bird waits; then the bird carries the Ankylo and the metal home in one trip. The same run on foot with a pick takes several times as long, and the weight is what makes it work: the Argy carries the Ankylo between nodes and hauls the metal home — plan two trips until you have weight levels.
Common mistakes
- Taming before level 62. You will not be able to ride it.
- Fighting on the slope. Flat ground or nothing.
- Running out of tranqs. 365 health with a territorial temperament is not a creature you finish with what you brought.
- Underestimating it. It hits for 25, which is more than most early creatures manage, and it does not stop.
Related guides
- Best tames guide — what to tame once you can fly.
- Taming guide — how knockout taming works and what effectiveness means.
- Best dinos for beginners — the tames that come before this one.