A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanan origin, most of them now extinct. Unlike other flightless birds, the ratites have no keel on their sternum - hence their name, which comes from the Latin (ratis) for raft. Without this to anchor their wing muscles, they could not fly even if they were to develop suitable wings.
Most parts of the former Gondwana have ratites, or have had until the fairly recent past. Their ...
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A ratite is any of a diverse group of large, flightless birds of Gondwanan origin, most of them now extinct. Unlike other flightless birds, the ratites have no keel on their sternum - hence their name, which comes from the Latin (ratis) for raft. Without this to anchor their wing muscles, they could not fly even if they were to develop suitable wings.
Most parts of the former Gondwana have ratites, or have had until the fairly recent past. Their closest flying relatives are the tinamous of South America.
Some taxonomical systems consider the various families of ratites to be orders, but the system used here uses the order "Struthioniformes" to refer to all ratites.
The African Ostrich is the largest living ratite. A large member of this species can be nearly 3 metres (9.8 ft) tall, weigh as much as 159 kilograms (350 lb), and can outrun a horse.
Of the living species, the Australian emu is next in height, reaching up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) tall and about 60 kilograms (130 lb). Like the...
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