Birds That Can’t Fly

20^th Century Fox’s new animation Rio tells the tale of Blu, a flightless Macaw who is kidnapped and whisked away to the big city of Rio for the adventure of a lifetime. Primary on the lists of obstacles is his inability to take to the skies, and so we’ve compiled a list other flightless feathery friends that might him feel a bit better!

Penguins
There are many different species of penguin – and none of them can fly! Usually living in the colder climates and feeding mostly on fish, penguins use their wings to propel themselves through the water rather than through the air. The reason they can’t fly is because their wings are too small to lift their body weight, which is often heavier than even the biggest airborn birds! Penguins need lots of blubber (fat) to keep them warm in their colder habitats and this, along with their thicker bones, keeps them firmly on the ground!

Ostriches
Ostriches are largest living birds on the planet and are a species you’re likely to see at the local zoo – but why are they down here with us instead of up in the air? Well, we’re not exactly sure! Some scientists claim that they share a flightless ancestor and have always been lived on the ground. However recent studies suggest that it was the extinction of the dinosaurs that grounded the birds, as once they were no longer prey to the largest carnivorous beasts on the planet they had no need for flight! What do you think?

Kiwis
Kiwis are the smallest living ground-bound birds and are native to New Zealand – which is why people from the country are often referred to as Kiwis! They also lay the largest egg of any bird in proportion to their size and so are, on the whole, pretty special! Sadly though, like Blu, Kiwis are an endangered species which means that there aren’t many left on Earth.

Dodos
You might have seen Dodos in the film Ice Age 3 (which was made by the same people as Rio!) where they became pretty possessive over a bundle of fruit! In reality though, Dodos became extinct in the 17^th century and so can’t be seen around today. They live on however through their close relations pigeons and doves which you’ve no doubt spotted frequently in both the cities and the countryside.