Birds that prefer running to flying are weird. I mean I’m sure there is a reason that Mother Nature planned it that way. But maybe it isn’t a matter of preference and it’s more of an evolutionary short stick. Afterall, you’re born with all these feathers, you look up and there are birds flying in the sky. You ask your dad Tinamou, “Daddy! Someday, I want to fly high and soar and feel the air in my feathers!” and Dad Tinamou says, “Yeaaaaa. Bad news kid. You’re a Tinamou and therefore a crappy flier.”
Tinamous can fly, but because of short wings, they only fly unsteadily for short distances. They live in shrubby grasslands and sometimes have a difficult time clearing tall vegetation. Their scientific name is Eudromia elegans. Eu from the Greek meaning well or nicely and dromos meaning running escape. So Nice Running Escape. Pretty good Scientific name. I mean, there are some cool Scientific Names out there like a type of slime-mold beetle which is Gelae donut. Or a fly with a golden butt: Scaptia [Plinthina] beyonceae.
But if I was a bird who couldn’t fly well I’d at least want a nice running escape.
Animals for Sam 