10 Birds That Cannot Fly

10 Birds That Cannot Fly

Birds are vertebrate animals that have feathers and wings. The oldest bird fossil was found in Germany under the name Archeopteryx.

If you hear the word bird, most people will imagine animals or birds that can fly. Indeed for birds, to fly is a very important need to escape from predators.

However, there are a number of bird species that have evolved and lost their flying abilities. They can survive because of their few predators or they have developed other ways to escape and protect themselves.

1. Penguin

Penguins belong to a group of birds that cannot fly but can swim. Live in the south pole, Antarctica. Highly adaptable to life in water, penguins have dark and white feathers, their wings have changed to be more useful as fins when they swim. Most penguins eat from Krill (a type of shrimp), fish, squid and other aquatic animals captured when they swim. They spend half their lives on land and half in water.

Although penguins are birds that are said to only live in the south pole, such as Antarctica. In fact, only a few species of penguins actually live in the southern depths. Some species can be found in warmer regions, and one species such as the Galapagos Penguin can be found close to the equator.

2. Takahe

Takahe or also known as Takahe South Island is an indigenous bird that cannot fly in New Zealand. It was once thought to be extinct after the last 4 specimens were carried in 1898. But after several search efforts, Geoffrey Orbell was rediscovered on Lake Te Anau, Muchison Mountains on November 20, 1948.

Adult Takahe birds have a purplish color with a blend of dark green, where the purple color is the dominant color. Pink feet. The female has a smaller size. This bird is very noisy.

Takahe is included in one of the endangered birds.

3. Ostrich 

Ostrich or known in English, Ostrich. It is the largest bird in the world that cannot fly. This bird is an African native bird. Ostriches are in the same group as Kiwi, Emu, Rhea and Cassowary, namely Struthioniformes. This bird has the shape of a neck and long legs, can run at speeds of up to 70 km / h, spawning the largest eggs compared to other birds.

Of the 5 known Ostrich subspecies, 1 is extinct, 1 is in an endangered condition, 3 are still alive. They live in a group that continues to move, in the group containing 5 to 50 birds. When threatened, Ostriches will lie on the ground or run away. But if it continues to be cornered, it will attack with its strong legs.

4. Cassowary (Cassowary)

Today, there are 3 species of Cassowaries. The most common are South Cassowary, the second and third largest heaviest bird after Camels and Emu. This bird was originally a bird native to the tropical forests of New Guinea, northeast of Australia.

Main foods Cassowaries are fruits, although basically they are omnivores, where they eat from plants, fruits, fungi, invertebrates and small vertebrates. Cassowaries are very shy, if disturbed they will cause very serious injuries. Maybe this is what caused them to enter the list of one of the most dangerous birds in the world.

The Cassowary species initially had 4, 1 of which was extinct and the other 3 were endangered.

5. Rhea

Rhea, a native bird of South America. There are 2 species that are not extinct, namely Greater Rhea or Amerian Rhea and Lesser Rhea or Darwin's Rhea. Rhea is a bird that cannot fly, large, long legs and also has a long neck, resembling a camel. Unlike most birds, Rhea only has 3 toes. They also urinate from a different place from cloaca.

Greater Rhea is a species that prefers open and airy nature, living in grasslands and near waters. Whereas Lesser Rhea will be more often found in bushes, grasslands or even deserts.

6. Emu

Emu is the largest bird in Australia, the second highest bird in the world after the Ostrich. In Australia, there are 3 emu subspecies found on the mainland of Australia. This bird avoids areas that have large populations, dense forests and dry areas.

They have long, thick necks and legs. Emu can also move in a large enough scope and can run up to 70 km / hour. They eat from a variety of plants and insects, but are also known to not eat for a week, and rarely drink. Emu is sometimes found sitting in the water and can also swim, these birds are curious birds, where they will follow things that make them curious.

7. Galapagos Cormorant

Also known as the other name Flightless Cormorant, is the native Galapagos Island as the name suggests. It is one example of the island's extraordinary fauna. He is the only cormorant who has lost his ability to fly.

Like most Cormorants, this bird has legs that are thick and strong to be on the sea, it eats fish, eels, small octopuses, and other small creatures. Even so, they were never more than 100m from the shore.

Because of its number which only reached around 1500 individuals, it is one of the birds that is in a conservation program.

8. Kiwi

Kiwis are birds that cannot fly and are endemic to New Zealand, based on the local size of New Zealand birds, Kiwis are the smallest and produce the smallest eggs related to their size compared to other bird species in the world. Kiwi is a symbol of New Zealand, the association of the term Kiwi is so great that it is known worldwide.

Kiwis are also included in the list of endangered birds, this is due to their habitat which continues to burst. But now, most of their forests have become national parks and are under protection.

9. Tasmanian Nativehen

The Tasmanian Nativehen is one of Australia's endemic bird species on the island of Tasmania. Although most birds that cannot fly have many stories where they are extinct in the hands of humans, these birds actually benefit from Agicultural practices in Tasmania.

Bird II has an olive brown color with white on its chest and a darker color below. His tail is usually black and stands up, his legs are thick and strong with grayish color and sharp nails. Have red eyes.

10. Kakapo

Birds that are sometimes found as pets, are also included in the list of birds that cannot fly. Known as a large parrot species, unable to fly, living at night and on land.

The combination of several characters such as the only parrot that cannot fly, is heavy, lives at night, hebivorous, has no sense of kinship, low metabolism and during its marriage has one or two females, making it a unique bird.

This Kakapo is very much under threat of extinction.