Are there birds that don't fly? The truth is that there are. Different adaptive reasons have caused certain species to have evolved, leaving behind their ability to fly. We are talking about birds that are very different from each other, of different sizes and origins, which only have in common the fact that they do not fly.
In this article on our site we will show you a list with the names of 10 birds that do not fly, but we will also talk about the most notable characteristics of each of the examples. Don't miss this article, read on to find out all about the birds that can't fly!
Why are there flightless birds?
It is necessary to clarify that all species of non-flying birds that exist today are descended from ancient birds that did have the ability to move through the air. Despite this, some causes, especially those that are related to survival, stimulated the adaptation of these species until they developed the characteristics they show today.
One of the reasons why several of these species gave up their ability to fly was the absence of predators in the environment. Little by little, flying became an infrequent and unnecessary activity, since it involved a high energy expenditure. This is explained because several of these species are endemic to islands far from the continental lands, where species of predatory animals did not arrive.
Other species developed a larger size than they already had in prehistory, in order to be able to more easily catch the prey found in its habitat. The bigger the size, the heavier, so flying became a very complicated task for them. This does not mean that all flightless birds are large, as there are also some small ones.
Despite the multitude of studies that we can currently find, there is still no unified consensus that can explain at what point in history these species of flightless birds left behind their ability to move through the air. It is estimated that it could have happened in the limits of the Tertiary Cretaceous
However, the discovery of fossils has shown that in the Miocene many of the current species already showed characteristics similar to those we can observe today.
Characteristics of Flightless Birds
When talking about flightless birds we should know that each species has its own characteristics and particularities, however, there are some common traitsthat all flightless birds share:
- Bodies are adapted for running and swimming.
- The wing bones are smaller, more massive and heavier than in flying birds.
- They do not have a keel on the chest, a muscle that allows flying birds to flap their wings.
- They show abundance of plumage, since they don't need to decrease their body weight.
Now that you know some of the most remarkable characteristics of flightless birds, it is time to mention the most representative species.
Names of flightless birds
Below we show you a list with the names of 10 flightless birds, in which we will also explain the most relevant characteristics of each of these species and some curious facts that you will love to know about them:
1. Ostrich
We start our list of flightless birds with the ostrich (Struthio camelus) a ratite that lives in Africa. It is the largest and heaviest bird in the world, because it reaches 180 kilos We must know that, given its inability to fly, the species has enormously developed its speed at the time to run, reaching 90 km/hour During his runs, his wings help him gain momentum, as well as being used to stun predators with blows.
two. Rhea
The ñandú (Rhea americana or Rhea pennata) is a flightless bird similar to the ostrich. It lives in South America and feeds on seeds, insects and various reptiles, including snakes. Like the ostrich, the rhea is an excellent runner, reaching 80 km/hour The species has difficulty jumping, but it manages very well in environments aquatic, since she is also a good swimmer.
3. Kiwi
We continue the list of flightless birds with the kiwi. Unlike its flightless companions such as the rhea and ostrich, the kiwi (genus Apteryx) is a smaller bird, similar to thesize of a hen There are 5 species, all endemic to New Zealand. The kiwi has the peculiarity that its wings are so small that they can hardly be seen, as they remain hidden under the feathers. They are shy animals with nocturnal habits that maintain an omnivorous diet.
4. Cassowary
cassowary is a genus of flightless birds that includes three different species. They are distributed in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia, where they inhabit rain forests and mangroves. The causarios weigh between 35 and 40 kilos, and have a blue or red coloration on the neck, which contrasts with the rest of their plumage, black or dark brown. They feed on insects, small animals and fruits that they pick up from the ground.
5. Penguin
The penguins belong to the order Sphenisciforme, which includes 18 species that are distributed in the southern hemisphere and the Galapagos Islands. They don't use their wings to fly, but they are excellent swimmers and have a technique that allows them to gather air around their wing feathers to propel themselves out of the water when they need to reach mainland urgently.
6. Emu
Continuing with the examples of flightless birds we must mention the emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) the second largest bird in the world, after of the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia and can reach 50 kilosThe species has a long neck and small underdeveloped wings. The emu is a great runner, as its legs have only three toes adapted to this activity.
7. Southern Steamer Duck
Although most duck species fly, the southern steamer duck (Tachyeres pteneres) is a flightless bird that is distributed in South America, especially towards the area of Tierra del Fuego. This species is an excellent swimmer, spending most of its life in the water, where it feeds on fish and shellfish.
8. Campbell's Teal
The Campbell's Teal (Anas nesiotis) is a bird endemic to the Campbell Islands, a territory south of New Zealand, of the which very little is known. It is in critically endangered due to natural phenomena that affect the island and the introduction of other species into its natural habitat, for which it is estimated that there are between 100 and 200 copies
9. Titicaca Grebe
Another flightless bird is the Titicaca grebe (Rollandia microptera) is a species native to Bolivia and Peru, where it lives not only in Lake Titicaca, but also near other rivers and lagoons. The species has small wings that do not allow it to fly, but the grebe is a good swimmer and even flaps its wings when running.
10. Greater Cormorant
We end our list of flightless birds with the Mancón cormorant, also known as the Galapagos cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi) a bird who has lost the ability to fly. The mating system is polyandro, which means that a single female can reproduce with multiple males. It is about 100 cm long and weighs between 2.5 and 5 kg They are black and brown animals, with an elongated beak and small wings.
