Ratite Bird (Noun)
Meaning
Flightless birds having flat breastbones lacking a keel for attachment of flight muscles: ostriches; cassowaries; emus; moas; rheas; kiwis; elephant birds.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The kiwi is a small, flightless ratite bird native to New Zealand, with a highly developed sense of smell and a distinctive call.
- Ostriches, emus, and cassowaries are examples of large ratite birds that are unable to fly due to their body size and lack of flight muscles.
- Ratite birds have flat breastbones that are characteristic of their flightless nature, with no keel for the attachment of powerful flight muscles.
- In prehistoric times, moas were large ratite birds that inhabited New Zealand before becoming extinct due to overhunting and habitat destruction.
- Rheas are South American ratite birds that resemble ostriches in appearance, with gray-brown plumage and long, powerful legs.