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, it reaches quite 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 shore), 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 vacated 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 -
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.
Foreword
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 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.
Flightless birds: list
Flightless Birds: Penguins
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.
ostriches
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 with this bird, 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.
Nandu-shaped
These flightless birds are common in South America: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay. Inhabit the pampas open spaces, steppes), covered with herbs and shrubs. An adult individual reaches a length of 140 cm, its weight is 20-25 kg. The appearance and lifestyle of the nandu resembles an ostrich, but scientists believe that this is completely different types. In nature, these birds live in groups of up to 30 individuals. In case of danger, an adult rhea can reach speeds of up to 60 km / h. Among natural predators capable of preying on adults are jaguars and cougars. But the young are suffering from the attacks of wild dogs. In addition, armadillos love to destroy the nests of these birds.
cassowaries
These flightless birds have much in common with ostriches, but their main difference is their three-toed paw. They are found in Australia and New Guinea. There are only two families in this detachment: Emu and Cassowaries. The latter reach 170 cm in length, their weight is 80 kg. They are characterized by a laterally compressed beak and a horn-like "helmet" on the head. Unlike ostriches and nandu, cassowaries prefer to live in forest thickets. They feed on fallen trees and small animals. Otherwise, the representatives of this detachment are similar to their close relatives - ostriches.
kiwifruit
Representatives of this species are nocturnal, live in the dense forests of New Zealand. During the day, kiwis hide in bushes and dense thickets of the forest, and at night they wander in search of food, which they find thanks to their well-developed sense of smell. They feed on worms and other invertebrates, which are pulled out of the damp soil. With the help of a long beak, these birds not only get food, but also make small depressions in the forest floor, in which they hide themselves.
Tristan Shepherd
It is the smallest flightless bird on Earth. Now this species preserved only on the island of Impenetrable (it is free from people and predators) of the Tristan da Cunha archipelago. Previously, these birds were found in abundance on all nearby islands, but the cats brought by the white man completely destroyed this species on them. Shepherd prefers open meadows and fern thickets. It feeds on moths, earthworms, seeds and berries.
kakapo parrot
This bird is listed in the Red Book. She cannot fly, but she can glide from high ground to the ground. Despite the presence of full-fledged wings, the kakapo has weak muscles and heavy bones without air cavities. The bird is nocturnal and feeds on fern leaves, mosses, berries and mushrooms.
Extinct flightless birds
The most famous extinct “non-flyers” today are the wingless auk, and the first of them belonged to the Chistikov family. The length of her body was 70 cm. The wings were quite small, but well adapted for rowing under water. The bird was completely exterminated in the 19th century. Dodo, or Mauritian dodo, is an extinct flightless bird that inhabited the islands of Mauritius in Indian Ocean. It was completely exterminated by a white man and imported cats during the expansion of these lands.
Conclusion
So we looked at how flightless birds adapted to survive in the wild. The list of them, as you can see, is, in principle, quite diverse. Scientists believe that the first "non-flyers" appeared on the islands due to the fact that the food supply there was abundant, and there were no predators at all. Probably, this is precisely what explains the fact that individuals with both developed and underdeveloped wings, or even without them, survived equally under the mentioned conditions.
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.
Evolution 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 the 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 tropical jungles, while emus inhabit 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.
If you like our site tell your friends about us!
There are birds that can fly, and there are those that cannot fly. And this fact does not prevent them from living in peace and even enjoying life. Some of them have wings and feathers, it would seem, what else is missing for flight?
There are only two reasons why birds cannot fly. One of them is the small bones of the wings and the absence of a keel, and the second is heavy weight birds.
We suggest you look at our list of birds that cannot fly at all.
#1
ostriches
In the photo: African ostrichostriches from Africa. It is the largest of the non-flying birds. The main features of ostriches are big sizes, speed and muscle strength. ostriches have a full set of wings with plumage. True, the structure of ostrich feathers is considered primitive, and the plumage itself is rather loose.
Wingspan ostrich about 2 meters, but this is not enough to lift a body weighing from 63 to 145 kilograms into the air. The wings of an ostrich end in two claws (or spurs).
And although ostriches They can't fly, but they are excellent runners. Ostriches can reach speeds of up to 70 km/h. They lay eggs about 5 centimeters in diameter and weighing up to 1.4 kilograms.
#2
Emu
Pictured: Emu Emu- this is big bird who lives in australia. The emu is slightly smaller than the ostrich and quite similar in structure to it. In height, the emu reaches 1.9 meters, and its weight is up to 55 kg.
Emu also, like an ostrich, it runs quite fast, reaching speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour.
Emu have small underdeveloped wings, the length of which does not exceed 20 centimeters. Each wing ends with a small claw. Emu has very powerful strong legs with sharp claws for protection from predators.
#3
Cassowaries
In the photo: Cassowary Cassowaries live in tropical forests New Guinea and on nearby islands of australia. it large birds, 1.5 - 1.8 meters high and weighing about 60 kilograms. Cassowaries are the second largest birds in the world, second only to ostriches.
Kazaurs, as well as ostriches and emus, run very fast. They are able to run through the forest at speeds up to 50 kilometers per hour. They are also good swimmers.
At cassowaries There is a soft and flexible plumage. Their wings are quite primitive, rudimentary, reaching a length of no more than 20 centimeters.
hallmark of all cassowaries is a small outgrowth on the head called a helmet.
Cassowaries rather secretive birds, live in the depths of forests. During the day they rest, and in the mornings and evenings during twilight they get their own food. Other than humans, the cassowary has no natural enemies.
Cassowaries they shy away from people, but if they are disturbed, they will actively defend themselves. The cassowary has very powerful legs with which it attacks at the same time. In addition, on each leg, the cassowary has a claw-dagger up to 12 centimeters long, with which it can kill with one blow. That is why cassowary blows can bring a person severe injuries incompatible with life. But it doesn't happen often.
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 a dangerous enemy cannot reach the chicks. 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 8,500 different species of birds, but there are only 4,000 species of mammals. If flying is such an important way for birds to survive, then 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 icy water. To keep warm, they have very stiff and very densely spaced feathers that provide waterproofing. Another property that allows survival in the wild is the unique white and black coloring 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.
