12 Surprising Flightless Birds

Over the course of time, there have been many birds that decided to give up flight and stick to the ground. Unfortunately, the result for many of these species was being wiped out, as they became easy pickings for humans and the animals that traveled with them, such as dogs, cats, and rats. Those that survived did so because they were too big (e.g. the ostrich) or too remote (e.g. the penguin) to be easy prey to new predators.

And yet, there are still a few flightless bird species that are hanging in there, usually in fairly remote locations that are difficult to access or cut off from mainlands. Their ground-dwelling lives are possible because they live in areas still free of predators or, in the case of some, have had human support.

For the record, peacocks are not flightless birds, despite often being considered so. Although they do not go long distances, they are able to use wings to get themselves up into trees or onto fence posts off the ground.

Here are 12 of the most unusual flightless birds found around the world.

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Kakapo

The kakapo is a parrot species from New Zealand that stands out in several ways. First, it is the world's only flightless parrot. It is also nocturnal, which is a unique trait among parrot species. It is the heaviest parrot species in the world, which is appropriate considering it does not have to stay light for taking flight.

But what really makes this bird stand out is its amazing conservation story. Gathered by the thousands for museums and collections around the world and facing new predators including the stoats, cats, and rats introduced by humans, this species was nearly wiped off the planet. Thankfully, a handful of dedicated people have worked tirelessly over the last century to create a breeding program to save the remaining parrots and boost their numbers.

Thanks to 2022's bumper breeding season, there are now 252 kakapos alive on the planet—more than have been around since the 1970s. With that number steadily increasing, there is hope that this unique and charismatic species can survive.

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Campbell Teal

The Campbell teal is one of two species of flightless teal. These little dabbling ducks are nocturnal, coming out at night to feed on insects and amphipods. They were once found on Campbell Island, their namesake near New Zealand, but were driven to extinction there after Norway rats found their way to the land. After a population was discovered on another island, the species was listed as critically endangered and conservationists worked for decades to create a successful captive breeding program.

In 2003, a massive effort was made to clear Campbell Island of rats and other pests, and in 2004, 50 Campbell teals were released there, marking the return of the species after an absence of nearly 100 years. Since then, the Campbell teal has settled in and appears to be thriving. Though it remains listed as endangered, the return to its home island gives great hope for the species.

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Titicaca Grebe

Grebes are adorable birds, but this particular species takes the prize. The Titicaca flightless grebe (also known as the short-winged grebe) is found in Peru and Bolivia. It lives primarily on its namesake, Lake Titicaca, but can also be found in several surrounding high-altitude lakes. Though it cannot fly, the Titicaca grebe can swim expertly. It catches mostly small pupfish as prey.

Unlike many other flightless bird species that have been threatened by introduced predators, the Titicaca grebe is threatened because of the use of gill nets by fishermen. It is now listed as endangered as a result. Although some areas are protected, there is no concerted conservation effort underway for this species.

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Kiwi

The kiwi is a famously flightless bird. It always encourages a double-take because of its small round body, feathers that look like fur, and unassuming whiskered face. So well-loved is the kiwi that it is the national symbol of New Zealand.

There are five species of kiwi, all of which are native to New Zealand. Two of the species are vulnerable, one is endangered, and one is critically endangered. Though large swaths of their forest habitat are now protected, they still face the danger of predation by introduced carnivores, such as cats.

Kiwis have been flightless for so long that their vestigial wings are barely visible among their fluffy feathers. They also lay the largest eggs relative to body size of any bird in the world. Adult kiwis are monogamous and mate for life, spending as many as 20 years as a faithful couple.

These shy birds are nocturnal and use their keen sense of smell to locate prey in the night. Unlike any other bird species, their nostrils are located at the end of their bills, making it easier for them to sniff out the worms, grubs, and seeds on which they feed.

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Guam Rail

The Guam rail was once abundant on the island of Guam, but in the 1960s, a population of accidentally introduced brown tree snakes took hold of the island. These birds nest on the ground which, combined with their inability to escape via flight, meant that they didn't stand a chance against the new predators, despite being very fast runners. By the 1980s, they were extinct in the wild.

The species can still be seen today, though, thanks to zoologist Bob Beck who worked for more than 20 years on capturing the last of the wild Guam rails, creating captive breeding programs in zoos, and releasing Guam rails on nearby islands.

In November 2010, 16 Guam rails were reintroduced to Cocos Island and, through careful monitoring, the reintroduction seems to have been successful. They are also now living on Rota Island. With luck and continued conservation work, the population of Guam rails can perhaps take hold and no longer be considered extinct in the wild; however, they are still considered critically endangered by the IUCN.

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Cassowary

This animal may look like a rendering of a prehistoric dinosaur evolving into a bird, but it's actually a modern species—the cassowary. There are three types—the southern cassowary, the northern cassowary, and the dwarf cassowary—all of which are native to New Guinea and Australia. They are usually all black as adults, but this can vary according to region; females also get larger and more colorful than males.

The cassowary is the second heaviest bird in the world (behind only the ostrich) and is closely related to the emu. It has claws on its toes that can grow to four inches long, and it can run as fast as 31 miles per hour. Plus, because the bird is flightless, it has extra strong, well-developed legs, which makes for powerful kicks. The casque on its head is made of keratin and may be used to clear through rainforest underbrush, reveal age or dominance, or help make resonant sound.

Even though the cassowary cannot fly, it is still tough enough to fight off predators. That said, only those cassowaries habituated to humans are actually prone to attack.

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Weka

Rails are usually known for being shy, but not this particular species. According to the Department of Conservation in New Zealand, the weka "has a famously feisty and curious personality."

Like other secretive rail species, the weka is more often heard than seen. They are known for thieving food and other small objects and running off to a hiding place to explore them, much like raccoons. So if something small goes missing from your campsite or home, it may very well be this flightless bird that snatched it. The best solution is to watch where the weka takes it, and then retrieve it later, as it always takes items to a nearby hideout.

The weka is listed as vulnerable due to a variety of threats coming from different angles; these include drought, car strikes along roads, and pest control operations that use traps and bait on the ground. Populations tend to fluctuate significantly, thriving when conditions are good and shrinking abruptly when food is scarce.

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Flightless Cormorant

The Galapagos Islands are home to many species that evolved with peculiar traits, including a wide array of unique bird species. One of these is the world's only cormorant that cannot fly, out of 29 types of cormorant. Thus it is aptly named the flightless cormorant.

The stubby little wings of the flightless cormorant are a testament to how long ago it gave up the pleasure of flight. In fact, the wings are about one-third of the size they would need to be for flight to even be possible, and so they appear comically small to observers. Instead of soaring over the waves, the flightless cormorant uses its powerful legs to swim up to 300 feet from the shore, searching for fish and other marine prey.

Research has been conducted to explain how the cormorant lost its ability to fly. In 2017, Leonid Kruglyak from the University of California, Los Angeles found that this flightless bird has a long list of mutated genes, including the genes that can distort limb growth. Researchers believe it's this particular combination of mutated genes that created shorter wings and smaller breastbones, stripping the bird of its ability to fly.

The flightless cormorant is one of the rarest birds in the world, partly because it is found only on two islands in the Galapagos. However, it is also susceptible to harm by storms and has been introduced to predators, so the species is listed as vulnerable. Conservation efforts are important to its continued survival.

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Tasmanian Nativehen

This appropriately named chicken-like bird is endemic to Tasmania. The Tasmanian nativehen is an unusual species of flightless bird; unlike so many species that have gone extinct or declined with the arrival of humans, it has actually thrived alongside its new also-flightless counterparts and has a stable, secure population.

The Tasmanian nativehen benefits from agricultural practices that provide a source of easy food. The clearing of new grasslands opens up the areas of short grass that they love to graze on.

This bird makes up for its lack of flight with its speedy run. They have been clocked at running up to 31 miles per hour. The Tasmanian nativehen lives in small flocks of a few individuals and sticks to clear territories of about five acres. Because these birds keep their own territories, fights can break out at borders when intruders press in on someone else's turf.

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Takahē

bright blue and orange takahe walks on grass in sunlight — Harald Selke / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Somewhat of a cross between the colors of the cassowary and the body of the native hen is the takahē, a species found in New Zealand. This bird was thought to be extinct for almost 50 years, but it was rediscovered after an extensive search in 1948. There are still individuals in its home range, and more have been relocated to nearby predator-free islands. Still, it is considered critically endangered with 440 individuals as of 2021.

The takahē is a fairly large bird for a rail, about the size of a small turkey. Families of birds require a lot of space, ranging up to 100 hectares to find the food they need. They mostly eat starchy tussocks and sedge that grow in grassland areas. If it snows in the winter, they retreat to forests and eat underground rhizomes of summer green ferns.

Pairs are monogamous, mating for life. Interestingly, chicks will often stay with their parents for one to two years, helping to raise the newest chick. Meanwhile, those chicks born in captive breeding programs are reared with the help of a puppet that looks like an adult takahē, which the human handler uses to feed the chick and thus minimize any habituation to humans.

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Fuegian Steamer Duck

There are four species of steamer duck, three of which are flightless. One of them, the Fuegian steamer duck, can be found in South America along the rocky shores from southern Chile to Tierra del Fuego. The steamer duck species get their name from the way they swim; when they really get to moving quickly, they flap their wings while paddling with their feet and end up looking a bit like a paddle steamer. Meanwhile, the genus name for the species, Tachyeres, means "having fast oars" or "fast rower."

The Fuegian is the largest of the steamer ducks and the heaviest of the species by far—about the same mass as large species of goose. They can reach up to 15.5 pounds, and males tend to be larger than females. Their large size is to their benefit, as it helps keep predators away from nests with eggs or chicks.

Adult Fuegian steamer ducks have few, if any, natural predators, thanks to the combination of their size and aggressive temperament. Their wings may be too short for flight, but they are definitely used for fighting.

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Inaccessible Island Rail

If you want to survive as a flightless bird in this world, it helps to be inaccessible. The Inaccessible Island rail is just that. It lives on an island (literally called Inaccessible Island) that is surrounded by huge cliffs, making getting to the island—let alone reaching the interior—difficult for visitors.

The Inaccessible Island rail is the smallest flightless bird in the world, and it is found only on its namesake, predator-free island in the remote Tristan Archipelago of the southern Atlantic. On their private island paradise, the birds enjoy roaming the grasslands and open fern-brush looking for insects, worms, and seeds to feast upon.

Though living in such a remote location helps these birds stay safe, such a minimal range means the species is listed as vulnerable. Should, one day, predators or a species that would compete for food be introduced to the island, the little rail would be in grave danger. This is why conservation efforts exist, including the designation of the island as a nature reserve and helping to keep the species as protected as possible.