Beautiful Birds That Cannot Fly
The fact is birds that can’t fly are not anomalies. There are over 57 avian species that cannot fly, but rather stay grounded for their whole lifespan.
These avian breeds include ratites, waterfowl, grebes, commorants, penguins, rails, and parrots (specifically, kakapos).
The flightless birds may never know the joy of flying, but they have gained advantages on the ground. These avians have stronger legs, powerful feet, and adaptable plumage. Their body structure is built for survival.
Birds that can’t fly include ostriches, penguins, grebes, rails, steamer ducks, and many more. They have evolved into a flightless existence over the centuries, and can now survive without flying.
Flightless fowls are non-migratory and typically larger than birds that can actually fly.
List of Flightless Birds in the World
Flightless birds have completely adapted to their surroundings and know how to survive. Like birds that can’t fly, these fowls have wings. However, their wings are more compact and don’t have an axial skeleton base.
Birds with no flight capability are year-round residents of their towns, cities, states, and countries. Their feathers safeguard them from freezing temperatures and insulate their bodies while manoeuvring water.
In this post, we feature a list of birds that cannot fly. Each fowl has a picture to make it easier for you to recognize these flightless birds.
Bird #1: Penguins
Penguins can’t fly, and they can’t dance either. What penguins are good at is swimming.
They’re capable of staying underwater for almost 30 minutes, and their speed at swimming is incredibly fast (4 to 22 mph).
Bird #2: Weka
If you’re wondering how many birds can’t fly, then the answer is thousands. And some of them are the weka.
These birds are scavengers in nature, and they’re never afraid to come close to humans to ask for food. Wekas have an odd appearance with red eyes.
Bird #3: Steamer Ducks
There are four species of steamer ducks, and none of them are capable of flying, possibly due to their DYRK1A gene. But despite their flightless nature, these fowls can drive away predators.
Bird #4: Ostrich
The ostrich is the largest flightless bird in the world. One large bird of this breed can weigh 290 pounds, which of course makes it impossible to fly.
Ostriches have long legs that allow them to run at 43 mph. However, the flightless state of ostriches is the result of evolution, since long ago their ancestors chose to stay on the ground rather than fly.
Bird #5: Kakapo
The kakapos are also known as the owl parrots. These birds are flightless, and there are fewer than 200 of them left in the world. Interestingly, these birds have a musky but sweet smell.
Bird #6: Kiwi
The main reason why kiwis can’t be in flight is because of their one-inch wings. They reside on islands, and since these parts had no predators in the past, their ancestors decided their wings had no use.
However, as islands are now populated by humans, the population of kiwis has declined. This is a result of the existence of mammals and new predators in their natural habitat.
Bird #7: Takahe
The takahe is from the rail family, which cannot fly. This species has short wings and lengthy feet and toes, which allow them to live on the ground all their life.
The takahes are vibrant, specifically with their crimson bill and legs and purplish-blue chest, head, and neck.
Bird #8: Flightless Cormorant
Some birds cannot fly mostly because over the centuries, they have lost that power, and the flightless cormorants are one of them.
Their wings need to be three times bigger for them to fly. Plus, they lack the full development of the keel on the sternum that is essential for flying. However, they are masters of propelling in water.
Bird #9: Cassowary
Cassowaries followed the ostrich and emu in the list of the largest avians in the world. Their blue head and neck are distinctive, and their massive physique, of course, makes it quite difficult to fly.
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