Birds that do not know how to fly are perceived as strange as animals that cannot walk, or fish that cannot swim. Why, then, do these creatures need wings if they cannot lift them into the air? Nevertheless, on our planet there are whole squads 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 species of birds that exist on our planet, then flightless birds occupy an insignificant part in comparison with flyers. Why is that? The fact is that the ability to fly helps them survive in the world of wildlife. Wings not only save birds from predatory animals, but also provide an opportunity to get food. So, in the search for food, birds can travel huge distances, and this is much more convenient than scouring in search of food on the ground. In addition, flyers can build their nests for raising offspring at a considerable height, so that a dangerous enemy can not reach the chicks. It turns out that it’s much easier for birds who can fly to survive in a cruel world called wildlife. This ability helped them become the second largest vertebrate class. So, for example, scientists have 8, 500 different species of birds, but mammals are only 4, 000 species. If flying for birds is such an important way to survive, then why some of them do not have this skill? How did flightless birds adapt to survive? We will analyze examples below. Scientists believe that before these birds also knew how to fly, but during the evolution they lost this ability. Well, let's look at what such strange creatures are.
Flightless birds: list
- Penguin-like. These creatures spend most of their lives in water. As a result of evolution, their wings mutated and resemble fins, thanks to which they became excellent swimmers.
- Ostrich-shaped. Ostrich is the largest flightless bird. It is too heavy to fly. To lift such a mass into the air, huge wings are required, respectively, and the wing muscles must become even more massive and stronger.
- Nanduide. The ratio of the bearing surface of the wing and the body size of these birds is such that even intense flapping of the wings will not lift the bird into the air.
- Cassowary. Often this unit is combined with ostrich-shaped. It includes two families: Emu and Cassowary.
- Kiwiformes. Kiwis are flightless ratites. Their weight is 3-3.5 kg and a length of 50-80 cm. The hairy feathers cover the body of this creature.
- Tristan shepherd. Belongs to the order of Cranes. This is the smallest representative of flightless birds. Its dimensions are 13-15 cm, and its mass is only 37-40 g. The aforementioned species inhabits one of the islands of Tristan da Cunha.
- Kakapo Parrot. Another name is the owl parrot. This rather large and rare representative of the species is found in moist forests on the South Island of New Zealand.
Flightless Birds: Penguins
These creatures are wonderful 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 in water up to 75% of their lives. These flightless birds can remain under water due to heavy and hard bones, which serve as ballast, like a heavy belt for a diver. Penguin wings evolved into fins. They help control movement in the aquatic environment at speeds up to 15 mph. These birds have a streamlined body resembling paddles the shape of legs, an insulating layer of fat, as well as waterproof feathers. All these properties allow the penguin to feel comfortable even in ice water. To maintain heat, they have very rigid and very densely arranged feathers, providing waterproofing. Another property that allows you to survive in the wild is the unique white and black color 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.
Ostrich-shaped
African ostriches are the largest birds of 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 great runners. In case of danger, the ostrich can reach speeds of up to 70 km / h. In addition, he is an excellent fighter; his two-fingered paws are a serious weapon. Judge for yourselves: one centimeter of the body, when kicked by this bird, accounts for a force of 50 kg. In addition to great speed and excellent fighting qualities, the ostrich is distinguished by the ability to camouflage well. In case of danger, he lays down and presses his 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" perfectly adapted for survival in the wild.
Nanduide
These flightless birds are common in South America: Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay and Paraguay. Pampas (open spaces, steppes), covered with herbs and shrubs, inhabit. An adult reaches a length of 140 cm, its weight is 20-25 kg. In appearance and lifestyle, the Nanda is reminiscent of an ostrich, but scientists believe that these are completely different species. In nature, these birds live in groups of up to 30 individuals. In case of danger, an adult Nandu can reach speeds of up to 60 km / h. Among the natural predators that can hunt adults are jaguars and cougars. But young animals suffer from attacks by wild dogs. In addition, armadillos love to destroy the nests of these birds.
Cassowary
These flightless birds have much in common with ostriches, but their main difference is a three-toed paw. They are found in Australia and New Guinea. There are only two families in this detachment: Emu and Cassowary. The latter reach 170 cm in length, their weight is 80 kg. They are characterized by a beak compressed laterally and a horny "helmet" on the head. Unlike ostriches and nandu, cassowaries prefer to live in forest thickets. They feed on fallen fruits of trees and small animals. The rest of the representatives of this detachment are similar to their close relatives - ostriches.
Kiwiformes
Representatives of this species are nocturnal, live in the dense forests of New Zealand. In the daytime, kiwis hide in shrubs and dense thickets of the forest, and at night roam in search of food, which they find thanks to a well-developed sense of smell. They feed on worms and other invertebrates that are pulled out of moist soil. With the help of a long beak, these birds not only get food, but also make small indentations in the forest litter, in which they themselves hide.
Tristan shepherd
This is the smallest flightless bird on Earth. Now this species has been preserved only on the island of Imperishable (it is free from people and predators) of the Tristan da Cugna archipelago. Previously, these birds were found in abundance on all nearby islands, however, cats brought by a white man completely destroyed this species on them. The shepherd prefers open meadows and fern thickets. It feeds on moths, earthworms, seeds and berries.
Cacapo parrot
This bird is listed in the Red Book. She does not know how to fly, but she can plan from a hill to the ground. Despite having full wings, the cacapo has weak muscles and heavy bones without air cavities. The bird leads a nocturnal lifestyle, and feeds on fern leaves, mosses, berries and mushrooms.
Extinct Flightless Birds
The most famous extinct "non-flyers" to date are the wingless eider and the Dodo bird. The first of them belonged to the Chistikov family. Her body was 70 cm long. The wings were quite small, but well adapted for rowing under water. The bird was completely exterminated in the 19th century. The Dodo, or Mauritian Dodo, is an extinct flightless bird that inhabited the Mauritius Islands in the Indian Ocean. It was completely exterminated by a white man and imported cats during the expansion of these lands.
