Whether birds can take off from the ground is an interesting question that many people wonder about. Birds come in all different shapes and sizes, from tiny hummingbirds to large ostriches and eagles. Their ability to take flight depends on a number of factors, including their body size and wing shape. In general, most birds are capable of taking off from the ground, though some species are better adapted to taking off from elevated perches. Below we’ll take a closer look at how birds take flight and the physical requirements that enable them to get airborne from a standing start on the ground.
Bird Flight Basics
In order to understand whether birds can take off from the ground, it helps to first review some basics of avian flight. There are four physical forces that come into play:
- Thrust – The forward force generated by flapping the wings or engines/propellers. Provides the bulk of the power needed for taking off.
- Lift – The force that lifts the bird up against gravity. Generated by the shape and angle of the wings.
- Weight – The weight of the bird (mass x gravity). Must be overcome by lift.
- Drag – The rearward and downward resisting force caused by air pressure on the body. Has to be overcome by thrust.
When a bird is taking off from the ground, it must generate enough thrust to overcome drag and start moving forward. At the same time, it has to generate sufficient lift to overcome its body weight and become airborne. Birds are engineered by evolution to produce the necessary lift and thrust to become airborne through the shape, size and flapping motion of their wings.
Factors That Impact Ground Takeoff Ability
Several key factors determine whether a bird species is physically capable of taking off from the ground or if they can only take off by dropping from an elevated perch:
Wing Loading
Wing loading refers to the ratio of the bird’s weight compared to its wing area. Birds with a heavier wing loading need to generate more lift force to take off. Light wing loading makes takeoff easier. Songbirds and birds of prey have light wing loading for their size, enabling ground takeoff. Heavy birds like turkeys, chickens, quail and ostriches have a high wing loading that requires a running start to take flight.
Wing Shape
Short rounded wings generate more thrust while long tapered wings generate greater lift. Shorebirds like gulls and terns have long narrow wings for gliding and soaring flight but are poor at slow flight maneuvers like vertical takeoff. Short broad wings provide the needed thrust but lack lift, requiring a running start to take off. Long broad wings, as found on vultures, eagles and hawks, provide an ideal balance of thrust and lift for vertical takeoff.
Body Size and Proportion
Larger heavier birds need more lift and thrust to get airborne. Ostriches and emus are too large and heavy to take off vertically, needing a running start to achieve flight speed. Long legs further reduce lift by placing the wings higher off the ground. Smaller lighter songbirds are nimble enough to achieve vertical takeoff. Their high muscle to weight ratio provides ample thrust.
Habitat
Birds that live in dense forests, like turkeys, grouse and pheasants, lack space and visibility for running takeoffs so they can only take off vertically. Large birds of open country like the pampas of South America are adapted for running takeoff.
Which Birds Can Take Off from the Ground?
Now that we’ve looked at the factors enabling vertical takeoff, here are some examples of birds that are able to launch themselves from the ground:
Songbirds
The majority of small perching birds like finches, warblers, sparrows and swallows can take off from a standing start. Their small body size and short broad wings provide the required lift and thrust. Some examples include:
- Cardinals
- Chickadees
- Orioles
- Larks
- Nuthatches
- Wrens
Birds of Prey
Hawks, eagles, vultures, falcons and other raptors are extremely adept at vertical takeoff thanks to their large muscular wings. Ospreys even take off while carrying fish in their talons. Examples include:
- Bald Eagles
- Red-Tailed Hawks
- Peregrine Falcons
- Turkey Vultures
- Northern Harriers
Waterfowl
Ducks, geese and swans use their broad wings to take flight from the water surface. Smaller species can also launch directly from the ground. Some examples:
- Mallards
- Teal
- Wood Ducks
- Canada Geese
Waders
Herons, egrets, ibises, rails, coots and other marsh birds are capable of vertical takeoff despite their large sizes. Their long legs provide clearance for downward wing beats. Some examples:
- Great Blue Heron
- Great Egret
- American Bittern
- Sora
Upland Game Birds
In order to escape predators in dense brush, gallinaceous birds like grouse, pheasants, quail and turkeys can burst into flight from the ground. Low wing loading gives them this ability. Examples include:
- Ruffed Grouse
- Ring-Necked Pheasant
- Northern Bobwhite
- Wild Turkey
Birds That Require Elevated Perches or Running Start
While many species have mastered the art of vertical takeoff, others lack the right combination of traits and instead can only get airborne by dropping from an elevated perch or running along the ground.
Heavy Flightless Birds
Large flightless birds like ostriches, emus and cassowaries are simply too massive and heavy to ever achieve true flight. They may use their small remnant wings for balance during running takeoffs.
Seabirds
Seabirds like gulls, terns, albatrosses and pelicans have wings tailored for soaring rather than flapping flight. They typically need an elevated cliff, jetty or nest to drop from in order to get airborne.
Wading Birds
The largest wading birds like cranes and herons sometimes need a short running start to get enough airflow over their wings for takeoff. White storks are unable to take off vertically.
Waterfowl
Large waterfowl like swans and geese require flapping runway along the water surface to achieve flight speed and lift. Muscovy ducks are non-migratory like their wild ancestors and cannot take off from flat ground.
Shorebirds
Shorebirds like plovers and sandpipers have wings tailored for endurance flight rather than lift and usually need a running start on open ground or water to get airborne.
Heavy Gamebirds
The largest gamebirds like turkeys, pheasants, grouse and quail are not always able to achieve vertical lift and may need a short running start or hop from an elevated perch in order to take off.
Unique Takeoff Strategies
Beyond simple vertical takeoff and horizontal running takeoff, some unique bird species have evolved special techniques to get airborne:
Pigeons
Pigeons and doves use a burst vertical launch, aggressively beating their wings to take off steeply into the air. This rapid takeoff helps them escape predators.
Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds take off straight up into the hover. Their small size and high wingbeat rate allows them to fly like helicopters. No runway needed.
Parrots
Parrots drop from their perch and glide downward to gain speed before beating their wings and swooping upward into full flight.
Swifts
Swifts have such short legs that they cannot launch from flat ground. They drop from vertical surfaces and enter a glide until reaching speed for powered flight.
Kinglets
Kinglets and gnatcatchers briefly hover in front of perches before dropping into the flight stroke. Their hovering gives them time to survey surroundings.
Ravens
Common Ravens hop and skip along the ground using their wings for lift and thrust to achieve enough speed for takeoff while running and flapping.
Penguins
Penguins cannot take off from flat ground. They either toboggan along snow and ice on their bellies or get a running start by waddling downhill to achieve enough speed for lift.
Conclusion
Most birds are physically capable of some form of vertical takeoff, either powered by wing flapping or by dropping into the air from an elevated perch. Their small body size, broad wings, light wing loading and adequate flight muscles allow them to generate enough lift and thrust to launch themselves skyward without needing a running start along the ground or water. However, some larger and heavier birds lack the ability to vertically take off and can only get airborne through an assisted method like running downhill or dropping from height. Unique specializations like wing-assisted leaping or hovering give some birds extra takeoff options. Understanding the balance of factors like wing design, body size, flight style and habitat helps reveal the takeoff constraints and abilities evolved by different kinds of birds.