BIRDS THAT DO NOT FLY - Features and 10 examples

Are there birds that don't fly? The truth is that yes.Different adaptive reasons have caused certain species to have evolved, leaving behind their ability to fly.We speak of very different birds from each other, of different sizes and origins, who only have in common the fact of not flying.

In this article of Animals and Pets Online we will show you a list with the names of 10 birds that do not fly, but also, we will talk about the most notable characteristics of each of the examples.Do not miss this article, Read on to find out everything about the birds that can't fly !

Why are there non-flying birds?

It is necessary to clarify that all the species of non-flying birds that exist today descend from ancient birds that did have the ability to move through the air.In spite of this, some causes, especially those that are related to survival , stimulated the adaptation of these species until they developed the characteristics they currently show.

One of the reasons that caused several of these species to renounce their ability to flying was the absence of predators in the middle.Little by little the flight became an infrequent and unnecessary activity, as it involved a high energy expenditure.This is explained because several of these species are endemic to islands away from the continental lands, where no predatory animal species arrived.

Other species developed a larger size than they already had in prehistory, in order to be able to catch Ar more easily to the prey that were in their habitat.The larger the size, the more weight, so flying became a very complicated task for them.This does not mean that all the non-flying birds are of great size, There are also some small ones.

Despite the multitude of studies that we can find today, there is still no unified consensus that can explain at what time in history these species of non-flying birds left their capacity behind to move through the air.It is estimated that it could happen within the limits of the Tertiary Cretaceous .

However, the discovery of fossils has shown that in the Miocene many of the current species they already showed characteristics similar to those we can observe today.

Characteristics of non-flying birds

When talking about birds that do not fly we should know that each species has its own characteristics and peculiarities, however, there are some common features that all non-flying birds share :

The bodies are adapted to run and swim .
The bones of the wings are smaller, massive and heavier than in flying birds.
They don't have keel in their chest, a muscle that allows flying birds to flap their wings.
Show abundance of plumage , since they do not need to reduce the weight of their body.

Now that you know some of the most notable characteristics of birds that do not fly is the moment to mention the most representative species.

Names of birds that do not fly

Here we show you a list with names of 10 birds that do not fly , 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 birds that do not fly with the ostrich ( Struthio camelus ) a running bird that lives in Africa.It is the largest and heaviest bird of the world, because reaches 180 kilos .We must know that, given its inability to fly, the species has developed its speed greatly when running, reaching 90 km/hour .During their careers, wings help you gain momentum, as well as serve to stun predators with blows.

2.Nandu

The nandu ( Rhea americana or Rhea pennata ) is a non-flying bird similar to an ostrich.South and feeds on seeds, insects and varied reptiles, even snakes.Like the ostrich, Elnandu is an excellent corridor, reaching 80 km/hour .The species has difficulty jumping, but it works very well in aquatic environments, since it is also a good swimmer.

3.Kiwi

We follow the list of birds that do not fly with the kiwi, unlike their non-flying companions, such as elnandu and the ostrich, the kiwi (genus Apteryx ) is a bird of smaller size, similar to the size of a chicken .There are 5 species, all endemic to New Zealand.The kiwi has the peculiarity that its wings are so small that it is almost not They can see, because they remain hidden under the feathers.They are shy animals and nocturnal habits that maintain an omnivore feeding.

4.Casuary

It is called cassowary a genus of non-flying birds that includes three different species.They are distributed in Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia, where rain forests and mangroves inhabit.They 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 they collect of the ground.

5.Pinguino

The penguins belong to the order Sphenisciforme, which includes 18 species that are distributed in the northern hemisphere and in the Galapagos Islands.They do not use their wings to fly, but they are Excellent swimmers and have a technique that allows them to accumulate air around the feathers of their wings to propel themselves out of the water when they need to reach land, sign urgently.

6.Emu

Following the examples of birds that do not fly we must mention the emu ( Dromaius novaehollandiae ) the second largest bird in the world, after the ostrich.It is endemic to Australia and can reach 50 kilos .The species has a long neck and small, underdeveloped wings.The emu is a great runner, since its legs have only three fingers adapted to this activity.

7 southern steam duck

Although most species of ducks fly, the southern steam duck ( Tachyeres pteneres ) is a non-flying bird that is distributed in America del South, 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 mollusks.

8 Campbell's Seed

The Campbell teal ( Anas nesiotis ) is an endemic bird of the Campbell Islands, a territory south of New Zealand, of which it is known very little.It is in critical danger of extinction due to the natural phenomena that affect the island and the introduction of other species into its natural habitat, so it is estimated that there are between 100 and 200 copies .

9.Zampullin of the Titicaca

Another of the non-flying birds is the zampullin del Titicaca ( Rollandia microptera ) is a native species of Bolivia and Peru, where it lives not only in Lake Titicaca, but also in other rivers and lagoons.The species has small wings that do not allow it to fly, but the zampullin is a good swimmer and even flaps its wings when it runs.

10.Cormoran mancon

We finish our list of birds that do not fly with the cormoran mancon , also known as cormoran of the Galapagos ( Phalacrocorax harrisi ) a bird that has lost the ability to fly.The mating system is polyandro , which means that a single female can reproduce with different males.It measures around 100 cm in length and weighs between 2.5 and 5 kg They are black and brown animals, with long beaks and small wings.

If you want to read more articles similar to Birds that do not fly-Characteristics and 10 examples , we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.

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