Flightless Australian Birds

There are over sixty species of flightless birds in the world. These birds have lost their capability to fly through evolution, and several of them live in the “land Down Under.”  So here’s a list of all the flightless Australian birds.

Emu

The emu is a large Australian bird that cannot fly. However, it is an amazingly fast runner. It has strong and powerful legs along with feet that are equipped with sharp claws which are used to kick any potential threats. And while its wings can’t be used for flight, they are used to help this huge bird stabilize itself when running.

For this reason, it’s not uncommon to see an emu running and flapping its wings at the same time. This brown shaggy-looking bird lives in various habitats across mainland Australia. The emu is not only prominently featured on the Australian coat of arms (along with another national icon, the red kangaroo) but it’s also the official national bird of Australia as well.

Little Penguin

This species goes by several different names that make reference to its small size, color, or both. In addition to the little penguin, it’s also known as the fairy penguin, blue penguin, or little blue penguin. And it’s the smallest penguin species on the planet.

This flightless Aussie bird is mainly found on offshore islands where it is safe from both humans and introduced pest species that prey on the penguins and their eggs such as feral dogs, cats, rats, and foxes. Like other penguins, its wings cannot be used to fly since they have evolved to be used as flippers for swimming.

The little penguin feeds on small fish and sea creatures such as crustaceans and squid. It is not strictly an Australian bird as it also inhabits the coasts of the neighboring country of New Zealand as well.

Noisy Scrubbird

While it isn’t truly flightless the noisy scrubbird is considered an essentially flightless Australian bird. That’s because while it can technically fly, it can only do so for a few meters at the most. It’s not capable of sustained or long-distance flight. This is a small species that is actually one of the rarest birds in Australia. In fact, it was previously thought to be extinct.

Its main threats are bush fires, feral cats, and rats. The noisy scrubbird is actually more often heard than seen. That’s because it typically stays in dense ground cover where it forages for invertebrates. It’s usually the male which is heard as it’s highly territorial and he defends his territory with a loud blaring call for which the species gets its name.

Southern Cassowary

While there are a total of three species of cassowary, the southern cassowary is only the one that is native to Australia. Because of this, it’s also called the Australian cassowary. Like the emu, it is a giant-sized bird although the southern cassowary is quite different in appearance.

It is a black bird with a blue head and a horn-like casque on its head. And it can be distinguished from other cassowary species by the two red wattles that hang down from its neck. The southern cassowary is found in the tropical rainforests of northeastern Australia but also ranges to New Guinea and Indonesia too.

While shy, these flightless Australian birds will not hesitate to defend themselves by kicking threats with the fearsome inner claws on their feet. Because of their ability to inflict serious injuries, they are considered to be the most dangerous birds in the world.

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