Birds that can't fly are just as strange as animals that can't walk or fish that can't swim. Why, then, do these creatures need wings if they cannot lift them into the air? Nevertheless, on our planet there are whole detachments of such creatures. Some live in the sultry African savannah, others live on the icy Antarctic shores, and still others live on the islands of New Zealand.
If we compare all types of birds that exist on our planet, then flightless birds occupy an insignificant part compared to flyers. Why is that? The thing is that the ability to fly helps them survive in the wild. Wings not only save birds from predatory animals, but also make it possible to get their own food. So, in search of food, birds are able to travel great distances, and this is much more convenient than scouring the ground in search of food. In addition, flyers can build their nests to raise their offspring at a considerable height, so that the chicks cannot be reached. dangerous enemy. It turns out that it is much easier for birds that can fly to survive in a cruel world called "wildlife". This ability helped them become the second largest class of vertebrates. So, for example, scientists have 8500 various kinds birds, but there are only 4000 species of mammals. If feathered flight is like this important way to survive, why don't some of them have this skill? How did flightless birds adapt to survive? We will analyze examples below. Scientists believe that earlier these birds also knew how to fly, but in the course of evolution they lost this ability. Well, let's look at what such strange creatures are.
These creatures are excellent swimmers and divers. They are found only in the southern hemisphere of our planet. Most of them live in Antarctica, but some species can survive in temperate and even tropical climates. Some representatives of penguins spend up to 75% of their lives in water. These flightless birds can stay underwater thanks to their heavy, hard bones, which act as ballast, much like a heavy belt for a diver. Penguin wings have evolved into fins. They help control movement in the aquatic environment at speeds up to 15 miles per hour. These birds have a streamlined body, paddle-shaped legs, an insulating layer of fat, and waterproof feathers. All these properties allow the penguin to feel comfortable even in ice water. To keep warm, they have very stiff and very densely spaced feathers that provide waterproofing. Another property that allows you to survive in wild nature, is the unique white and black coloration of the birds in question. It makes the penguin invisible to predators both from below and from above. These birds live in colonies reaching the number of several thousand individuals. Penguins are the most numerous representatives of "non-flyers". So, annually up to 24 million of these creatures visit the coast of Antarctica.
African ostriches are the largest birds on our planet. Their height can reach 2.7 meters, and weight - 160 kg. These flightless birds feed on grass, tree shoots and shrubs, do not disdain insects and small vertebrates. In nature, the creatures in question live in small groups - one male and several females. Ostriches have very sharp eyesight and excellent hearing. They are excellent runners. In case of danger, an ostrich can reach speeds of up to 70 km / h. In addition, he is an excellent fighter, his two-toed paws are a serious weapon. Judge for yourself: for one centimeter of the body when this bird kicks, there is a force of 50 kg. In addition to high speed and excellent fighting qualities, the ostrich is distinguished by the ability to disguise itself well. In case of danger, it lies down and presses its neck and head to the ground, as a result it is difficult to distinguish it from an ordinary bush. As you can see, this representative of the “non-flyers” has perfectly adapted to survive in the wild.
Grebes are waterfowl that look like ducks. They got such an unpleasant name for the disgusting taste of meat, but they were still hunted for valuable feathers. Not all grebes have forgotten how to fly, although they are extremely reluctant to do so. Most prefer to escape from danger by diving into the water.
Galapagos flightless cormorants are not the most numerous representatives of their family, only 1,500 individuals remain on their native islands. But they are champions in size, and they dive even better than other cormorants who have not forgotten how to flap their wings. Unfortunately, it is not difficult to catch them on land, which led to a decrease in the population.
Nandu - the largest birds South America, very similar to ostriches and emus, but not related to them. They run superbly, reaching speeds of up to 60 km / h, sometimes spreading their huge wings for balance. Nandu males are known for their unusual mating ritual - they mate with as many females as possible, then lay their eggs in a huge nest and hatch them personally.
Emus are the second largest birds on the planet after ostriches, living in the expanses of Australia. In addition to the obvious talents for running, they are able to fiercely defend themselves from enemies, kicking them and cutting them with their claws. There are cases when an emu kicked a man's bones and tore apart metal wire fences.
Cassowaries are brightly colored inhabitants of the tropics in New Guinea. You don’t run much in the jungle, so they mostly prefer to hide or fight. Locals warn tourists to stay away unusual birds away - angry cassowaries can inflict deep wounds on people, and such attacks occur up to 200 times a year.
Tristan shepherds are the smallest flightless birds on Earth, settled on a volcanic island with the speaking name Impregnable. Because of the steep cliffs, it is almost impossible to land on the island from the sea, and therefore the tiny black birds inhabiting it are in relative safety.
Ostriches are the largest birds in the world, up to 270 cm high and weighing up to 160 kg, dissecting the African savannas at speeds up to 70 km/h. Contrary to the old myth, they do not hide their heads in the sand, although they can hide for a while, clinging to the ground. People actively breed ostriches because of the valuable skin, tasty meat and eggs.
Emperor penguins are exactly the kind of birds we usually think of when we think of penguins. Clumsy on land, completely devoid of the ability to fly, but excellent swimmers and diving to a depth of 560 meters. Unlike other species of penguins, they do not build nests, hatching eggs in a special leather "pocket".
Kakapos are unique parrots from New Zealand that have forgotten how to fly due to millions of years of safe isolation. They are active at night, for which they received their second name - “owl parrot”. They almost died out due to cats, dogs and rats brought to the islands by humans. Only a negligible number of individuals have survived - about 200, which are carefully protected by ecologists.
Kiwi is a living symbol of New Zealand, giving the name to the fruit of the same name. Their feathers are more like wool, and there is no tail at all. Despite their harmless appearance, the formidable kiwis are quite capable of defending themselves from predators using very strong legs with sharp claws. because of human activity they have already begun to die out, but people caught themselves in time. Now the number of kiwi is growing again.
Unfortunately, due to human activities, many birds that have lost the ability to fly have become extinct. The entire population of dodos, for example, was eaten, because they forgot how not only to fly, but also to run. Some birds were destroyed by other animals, such as cats and rats, brought by people to places where such predators never existed. For those who have not lost their mobility and aggressiveness, extermination, as a rule, does not threaten - try to catch up with an ostrich on land or a penguin in the water. What kind of flightless birds can the planet boast today?
From the catch, "birds" and "that do not fly" clearly contradict each other. However, there are birds that are unable to fly. They are well adapted to life on earth.
The evolution of ratites. Ancestors of modern ratites appeared on Earth about 80 million years ago. All modern birds are divided into several groups that are very different from each other, but all birds had common ancestors who could fly. This is evidenced by many common features birds. According to one modern theory, there could be one ancestor in all ratites. Only South American tinamous, which barely rise into the air, are distinguished by scientists in the above order of newborn, or typical birds, while other species belong to one above order - birds that run. The skeleton of the tinamou resembles the skeleton of ratites in its structure. With the help of the latest serological studies (blood test), it was found that tinamous and ratites could have common ancestors. At the end of the Cretaceous period, about 70 million years ago, a separate branch stood out in the class of birds - penguins, from which waterfowl capable of "underwater flight" descend. 
Birds that do not fly are usually the first to die when a person with domestic animals comes to their original habitats, who hunt them and carry them infectious diseases. The eggs and chicks of the species that nest on the ground become the prey of new settlers. So, in New Zealand, owl parrots, or kakapo, were almost completely exterminated - today only 40 individuals of this species live. , the unofficial symbol of New Zealand, after the arrival of Europeans on the islands, it began to be very rare. The kiwi and the common kiwi are fairly common in the South Island, but the common kiwi is threatened with extinction in the North Island. A rare kiwi - the little kiwi - was on the verge of extinction when the last few individuals of this species were placed in a reserve on Capito Island. Here, the population of the small kiwi is gradually increasing, but whether this species has a chance of survival is unknown. People hunt rhea for meat and feathers, which are used to make panicles for dusting. The rhea is being destroyed by farmers who consider the birds to be pests. Ostrich, as a species, is not yet threatened, although several of its subspecies have already disappeared, while others are on the verge of extinction. An uncertain future for cassowaries living in the jungles of New Guinea. But for him, the neighborhood with a person benefited, and he settled new regions in Australia. Some birds lost their ability to fly because they lived on islands where they had no enemies to escape from in the air. Others adapted to life in the water, and the wings turned into fins. Birds that run are saved from enemies by long, strong legs. 
FOOD. Penguins- these are excellent swimmers and divers, able to stay under water for several minutes. They prey on fish in the waters off the coast of Antarctica.
Other birds that cannot fly do not have to starve either. So, African ostriches feed on the nutritious seeds of plants that grow in the steppes and savannahs, nandu - on grasses and other greenery that other animals are not able to reach.
BUT
freakan ostrich and nandu have a very long digestive tract, which contributes to better absorption of coarse plant foods. He loves seeds, fruits and young shoots.
Birds don't fly. All 50 modern species birds that do not fly had flying ancestors. The conquest of airspace gave the birds many advantages. However, the ability to fly has negative side: reduced size and especially body weight, which leads to the use of a narrow range of food. In order to fly, a bird needs strong muscles and well laid plumage. Apparently, the shepherds living on small islands have lost the ability to fly due to strong winds. Most birds stopped flying due to the fact that they did not need to take to the air to escape from enemies - for this they only needed to run fast. As a result of such an adaptation, the structure of feathers in birds running on the ground also changed - they have a primitive one: the beards are almost not linked to each other, therefore they do not form dense fan plates. Among modern flying birds, "ground" candidates can be named - these are bustards and some South American steamboat ducks.
RATELESS BIRDS. Most ratites and small kiwis share one salient feature- the absence of a keel on the sternum, to which flying muscles are attached in flying birds. Two groups of keelless birds have died out quite recently - these are New Zealand moas, or dinornis and Madagascar ostriches. Modern ratite birds are divided into four groups: ostrich-like, rhea-like, cassowary-like and kiwi-like. 
The largest bird in the world - African ostrich- There are only 2 toes on the feet. The northern rhea and its smaller relative, the Darwin or long-beaked rhea, live in the pampas stretching from Brazil to Tierra del Fuego. The northern rhea, like the African ostrich, has large wings that play an important role during the mating ritual. There are 3 species of cassowaries in Australia - the helmeted cassowary, the muruka and the golden cassowary - and one species of emu. Cassowaries inhabit the tropical jungle, and emu - open spaces. All three kiwi species live in the forest. During the day they hide in dense thickets, and at night they wander in search of food, finding it with the help of a developed sense of smell. Kiwi feathers resemble wool, and their wings are greatly reduced.
REPRODUCTION. Birds That Don't Fly - The New Zealand parrot owl, or kakapo, had no enemies or problems. Looking for a place to nest. The trouble came along with European settlers who brought cats to the islands with them. Many penguins do not build nests, but warm their eggs between their legs, in a warm fat fold. The dominant male northern rhea mates with 12 females, who lay up to 50 eggs in his nest. Cassowaries, him and kiwi form pairs, although the female cassowary, after she makes a clutch, may go with another or even with two males. The male ostrich creates a temporary family with one dominant female, but in addition to her, he can mate with five more. An ostrich egg is more than the eggs of all birds living today, however, in relation to the size of the body, compared to a laying hen, it is very small, and makes up only 1.5% of the body weight of an ostrich.
The chicks are reared by the male African ostrich and the dominant female. In the rest of the ratites, care for the clutch and offspring falls solely on the shoulders of males. Northern rhea, for example, raises chicks for six months.
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Which birds CANNOT fly July 2nd, 2016
What non-flying birds did I know about? Well, for example, Nanda, Emu, African ostrich, penguin - everyone knows them. A little more complicated: there is one that cannot fly either. I knew about her. Yes, of course - I knew about her too.
And now a few more birds that also cannot fly, but for me they have become news.
For example...
cormorant
This is the Galapagos flightless cormorant. A bird from the pelican order, cormorant family. The cormorant is the only bird in the family that has completely lost the ability to fly. As a result, he achieves large sizes, being largest view cormorants on earth. Due to their lack of flight ability, these birds are easy prey for introduced predators such as dogs, cats, rats and wild boars. Today there are only about 1600 individuals of this species.
Outwardly, cormorants resemble ducks, differ only in short, as if chopped off wings.
Since the flightless great cormorant cannot swim from the mainland to the islands (when fishing, it never swims more than 100 meters from the coast), the question arises: where could it come from? Darwin suggested that it descended from great cormorants that flew to the islands and gradually lost its ability to fly. We now understand that such changes occurred as a result of mutation or genetic copying error. This mutation could have been detrimental to birds, but was beneficial to the great cormorants that live on this particular island.3
This situation reminds us of the story of flightless beetles on windy islands. Such beetles are more likely to survive there, while flying beetles may be blown far beyond the islands. Or perhaps this is just an example of the diminishing influence of natural selection - without the presence of predators on the mainland and with an abundance of food in the sea, the loss of the ability to fly is not as critical as the loss of sight of cave dwellers over generations.5 In any case, this is not an example of evolution ; a mutation in the great cormorant that renders it unable to fly is an example of the loss of genetic information. "Evolution in action" requires changes that result in new genetic information.
And here is the Tristan Shepherd
In the southern part Atlantic Ocean on the impregnable island belonging to the Tristan da Cunha archipelago. with an area of just over 10 km, the smallest flightless bird lives - the Tristan shepherd. This species usually weighs about 30 grams and has a length of 17 cm. Here, on Inaccessible, the bird is not at all threatened by predators.
Tristan shepherds are distributed throughout the island, but prefer to live in small groups in open pastures and hide in fern bushes. During the breeding season, from October to January, you can see the nest of the Tristan shepherd. It is carefully constructed from plants and hidden under a wicker canopy. And in order to get through the dense vegetation to their nests, small birds make original grassy tunnels up to 50 cm long. Tristan shepherds feed on insects, but they will not refuse berries or seeds either.
Previously, flightless birds even smaller than the Tristan shepherd lived on Earth. So, Stephen's bushwren lived on Stevens Island. Their habitat was also free from predators until the lighthouse keeper's cat appeared there and killed the whole species.
Ecologists fear that the Tristan shepherd boy may also have enemies who will exterminate his small population. But today these birds are only threatened by periodic flooding of their nests.
Kakapo
This large bird- kakapo, or owl parrot, (Strigops habroptilus) is the only parrot that has forgotten how to fly in the process of evolution. It lives only in the southwestern part of the South Island (New Zealand), where it hides in the dense thickets of the forest. It is there, under the roots of trees, that this parrot makes a hole for itself. He spends the whole day in it and only after sunset does he leave there to go in search of food - plants, seeds and berries.
Before the discovery of the South Island by European settlers, the owl parrot had no natural enemies. And since the bird had no need to escape from anyone, it simply lost the ability to fly. Today, kakapo can only plan from a small height (20-25 meters).
At the same time, owl parrots lived next door to the Maori, the indigenous inhabitants of the islands of New Zealand, who hunted them, but caught only as many birds as they could eat. Then the kakapo was a fairly numerous species, but the Maori began to cut down areas of the forest in order to grow sweet potatoes "kumara", yams and taro (the tubers of this tropical plant are eaten) on the vacant land. Thus, they unwittingly deprived the parrots of their habitat.
The number of the owl parrot gradually decreased, but the birds were in critical danger with the arrival of European settlers, who brought with them cats, dogs, ermines and rats. Adult kakapo managed to escape from new predators, but they were unable to save their eggs and chicks. As a result, by the 1950s, only 30 owl parrots remained on the island.
From that moment on, the hunting of kakapo and their export from New Zealand was completely banned. Scientists placed some individuals in nature reserves and began to collect their eggs to protect them from predators. In specially designated rooms, kakapo eggs were placed under hens, who hatched them as if they were their own. Today, a unique bird is listed in the Red Book. Its number has ceased to decrease and even began to gradually increase.
Although I still remembered him. Here is more about this parrot -