Flightless birds
Flightless Birds
Flightless birds (pronunciation: /ˈflʌɪtlɪs bɜːrdz/) are birds that through evolution have lost the ability to fly. There are over 60 extant species, including the well known ratites (ostriches, emu, cassowaries, rheas and kiwi) and penguins.
Etymology
The term "flightless birds" is a compound noun made up of the word "flightless", which is an adjective meaning 'incapable of flight', and "birds", which is a plural noun referring to avian creatures. The term as a whole refers to those avian species that have, through the process of evolution, lost the ability to fly.
Types of Flightless Birds
There are several types of flightless birds, including:
- Ratites: This group includes the ostrich, emu, cassowaries, rheas and kiwi. These birds have flat breastbones without a keel to anchor wing muscles, which contributes to their inability to fly.
- Penguins: Penguins are a group of aquatic, flightless birds living almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere, especially in Antarctica.
- Flightless Cormorant: This bird, also known as the Galapagos cormorant, is found only in the Galapagos Islands, and is known for its distinctive, vestigial wings.
Evolution
The evolution of flightless birds is a fascinating topic. It is believed that these birds evolved from flying ancestors; there are several reasons why birds might lose the power of flight. One of the main reasons is the absence of land predators, which allows them to survive and reproduce without the need to fly away quickly.
Related Terms
- Bird: A warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrate distinguished by the possession of feathers, wings, and a beak and (typically) by being able to fly.
- Evolution: The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth.
- Species: A group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Flightless birds
- Wikipedia's article - Flightless birds
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski