just wondering. They're my favorite fishbirds.
2007-08-20 14:45:16 · 24 answers · asked by H0lliW00D 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
They are absolutely, scientificly, unable to fly. It is IMPOSSIBLE. Their bodies aren't shaped to fly, and neither is their wings. The most important thing here is that in order for them to get any lift, they must have the right feathers. They must have proper primary and secondary flight feathers first of all, and they don't. Their feathers are small, and tight fitting, designed to be slick where the water glides off of them.
They have about as good a chance of flying as us.
Plus, they don't set their minds to flying anyways.
If they needed to fly, they would be able to.
Their instinct is it live, breed, and find food - none of this requiring flying at all.
2007-08-20 18:43:38 · answer #1 · answered by Avian Queen 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not until a pair of penguin brothers decide that they should build an aircraft.
Okay, I'm kidding. No, they're not built for flight. They might be able to fly short heights (i.e. jump).
Like chickens.
2007-08-20 22:00:59 · answer #2 · answered by tasha7 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"True penguins cannot fly. There are penguin cousins that can, but very few."
The closest relatives to penguins, and very distant ones at that, are the albatrosses and petrels. Penguins lost the power of flight a very long time ago.
2007-08-21 00:05:39 · answer #3 · answered by tentofield 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Penguins are built for swimming and for dealing with the arctic cold. Not for flying through the air.
2007-08-20 21:49:39 · answer #4 · answered by Irish 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, their wings do not have the necessary curvature to create lift. Also, their body is very heavy. They have a thick layer of fat that adds weight and keeps them grounded. However, in water they weigh much less so they fly through water life fish.
2007-08-20 21:50:08 · answer #5 · answered by dudas_91 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
True penguins cannot fly. There are penguin cousins that can, but very few.
2007-08-20 21:48:52 · answer #6 · answered by odandme 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No but they can swim out of the water so fast that they fly into the air onto some ice.
2007-08-20 21:49:10 · answer #7 · answered by RC 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No; their wings have changed so much over time that they are not large enough or strong enough to lift the bulk of the penguin's body.
2007-08-20 21:50:18 · answer #8 · answered by kt 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
nah they don't have flight feathers!!! Thats like saying a ostrich could fly if it wanted too!!! They have body fat and proportions that would make it impossible for them to fly... unless its some weird deformed penguin....
2007-08-21 03:40:22 · answer #9 · answered by katiekcat5 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they jump off of something high into the water, then they fly for a little bit...
2007-08-20 21:49:51 · answer #10 · answered by violentquaker 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋