Flightless Birds

evolution · birds · running and swimming

Can't fly, but fast. Flightless birds evolved to lose their flying ability over many generations. Instead, many of them became super speedy runners or excellent swimmers to survive.

Over 60 kinds exist. There are more than 60 different species of flightless birds alive today, from tiny rails to massive ostriches.

Penguins are champions. Penguins are famous flightless birds that trade flying in air for flying through water, using their wings to zoom through the ocean at incredible speeds.

Ratites are giant. Ratites are a special family of flightless birds that includes ostriches, emus, and kiwis, and many of them are some of the largest birds ever.

Extreme size differences. The smallest flightless bird is the Inaccessible Island rail, while the largest is the common ostrich, which is also the biggest living bird on Earth.