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Which is the only bird that can swim and not fly?

Question #105309. Asked by armindasantana.
Last updated Jun 22 2022.

tjoebigham
Answer has 4 votes
tjoebigham
23 year member
260 replies

Answer has 4 votes.

Response last updated by CmdrK on May 28 2021.
May 04 2009, 4:03 PM
scottietwenty3
Answer has 5 votes
Currently Best Answer
scottietwenty3
15 year member
388 replies

Answer has 5 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.
I found more than one Kiwi bird.

Yes, the kiwi is a strong swimmer and has been observed crossing large rivers.

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiwi

Can Kiwi fly?

No, they cannot. New Zealand prior to Moriori and Maori settlement had no predatory mammals so the Kiwi did not need to fly.
The kiwi is a flightless nocturnal bird native to New Zealand. It evolved to be flightless because it had few predators and no need for flight in pre-human-occupied New Zealand, where there were no mammalian predators, and the few bird predators large enough to threaten it were only active during the day.

To retain the ability to fly actually requires a sacrifice of strength and weight, so it made sense not to retain this unneeded ability.

link http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Can_Kiwi_fly

May 04 2009, 8:36 PM
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star_gazer star
Answer has 5 votes
star_gazer star
22 year member
5236 replies avatar

Answer has 5 votes.
And I have found another flightless bird that can swim!

Cassowaries can run up to 50 km/h (31 mph) through the dense forest. They can jump up to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft)[citation needed]and they are good swimmers, crossing wide rivers and swimming in the sea as well.

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassowary

Also both the flightless huge ostriches and rheas are good swimmers.

link http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/aprilholladay/2007-04-23-ostriches-swim_N.htm

Response last updated by LadyNym on Sep 01 2016.
May 04 2009, 9:07 PM
wellenbrecher star
Answer has 0 votes
wellenbrecher star
19 year member
548 replies

Answer has 0 votes.
There are more. Here's a list of eight birds that can swim but not fly.

link https://www.britannica.com/list/8-birds-that-cant-fly

Jun 22 2022, 6:28 PM
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