Did you ever wonder how many species of birds can't fly?

 

            By David McClelland

 

            Did you ever wonder about the various species of birds in our world which can't fly? Wait a minute, doesn't a bird have to fly to be a bird? You would think so, but not all species birds are able to fly.

 

What birds that don't fly come to mind for you? You may think of the domestic chickens and turkeys, but it turns out that chickens and turkeys are naturally able to fly, but the farmers have bred them for their meat and they get too heavy to fly. Some farmers may also trim their wings, so that they won't "fly the coop". If you go online, you can find videos of chickens flying good distances, especially when a dog comes barking nearby. So chickens and turkeys aren't correct answers.

 

            The Penguin may come to mind and that is one type of bird that can't fly even though Penguins possess a pair of wing-like appendages. They make up for their inability to fly with their ability to swim. Their "wings" make great flippers for propelling themselves through the water. The next time you visit The Detroit Zoo, be sure too visit their Penguinarium for a real treat. It opened in 1968 as the first such exhibit in the United States and is continually being improved upon. Did you know that there are 17 different species of Penguins? There are three such species at the Penguinariam? The three are the king, the macaroni and the rockhopper Penguins. Check them out. You won't be disappointed. The Penguin is our flightless bird No. 1.

 

            We lived in the "out-back" of Australia for over two years while I was in the USAF in the early 1970's and I know from living there that their largest native bird, the Emu, in not able to fly. Emus can be as tall as 6'6" and weigh over 100 pounds. Emus can run over long distances at about 31 miles per hour. They do possess small wings, but not nearly the muscle strength to allow them to fly. They are farmed for their meat, oil and leather. The Emu is our 2^nd flightless bird.

 

            Then, there is the Emu's cousin, the Ostrich, which also can't fly. The Ostrich is native to Africa. An Ostrich can grow to over 9' tall, weigh as much as 345 pounds, run at 43 miles per hour and live up to 40 years in captivity. They also have the largest eyeballs (2 ½ inches in diameter) and lay the largest eggs (3 pounds) of any bird. As is the case with the Emu, humans eat Ostrich meat and use their oil and leather. In addition, Ostrich feathers are used for boas and pen quills. Artists like to paint pictures on their large egg shells. Some of our zoos have live Ostrichs on display. You will find them in zoos in Los Angeles, California and in The Bronx, New York. The Ostrich is our 3^rd flightless bird.

 

            Have you come up with another one yet? It may not come immediately to mind, but there is a small, flightless bird, about the size of a chicken, that weighs between 3 & 9 pounds and is native only to New Zealand. It is the Kiwi. The Kiwi lays large eggs. A Kiwi egg may weigh up to half of the weight of the bird which laid it. The Kiwi has a long, slender, flexible bill with nostrils on the end that allow it to find food in the ground. Kiwis are nocturnal, have no tail and possess tiny, two-inch, wings. There are five species of kiwi, including the most common: Brown Kiwis, Little Spotted Kiwis and Great Spotted Kiwis. The New Zealand native people are also known as Kiwis. It is interesting to note that Kiwi shoe polish began in 1906 when a man in Melbourne, Australia, whose wife was from New Zealand, first produced it. You can still buy it today in about 180 countries. The company is now owned by Sara Lee. The Kiwi is our 4th flightless bird.

 

            Do you think we have them all now? Well, not quite. There are still the Cassowary and the Rhea. Never heard of them. Neither had I. It turns out that the Cassowary is native to New Guinea, nearby islands and to N.E. Australia. The Cassowary is the third tallest (up to 71") and second heaviest ( up to129 pounds) bird. The Cassowary is a shy bird which lives 40 – 50 years and stays deep in forests. The Cassowary is our 5^th flightless bird.

 

Finally, we have the Rhea which is native to South America. It is smaller than, but looks similar to an Ostrich. Rheas can weigh up to 80 pounds and be nearly 5 feet tall. The Rhea does have wings, rather large ones for a flightless bird, and they spread them while running so that their wings act like sails. The Rhea is our 6^th and last flightless bird. 

 

Can you believe it? Six birds that can't fly. And there were others, but the others have all become extinct. If you should learn of any additional such species, kindly advise.