Top 10 Flying Animals in the World: The Miraculousand Remarkable Flyers

Some of us are not aware of the flying animals in the world. Yes, there are many flying animals except birds who can fly. Here, we will explore more about the flying animals in the world. There are various animals like flying bats, flying snakes, flying snakes, and flying foxes that are not birds but can fly like a bird. Flight in animals is categorized into two types: Powered and Unpowered. In Unpowered movement, the animal uses forces on their body to move through the air, and in Powered movement, the animal’s muscular power and wings generate the force for them to move.

List Of The Flying Animals Except Birds

These animals are capable of aerial locomotion, either by powered flight or by gliding. Starting from a bat to flying squirrels they use their wings to fly in the high sky. Birds grab the attention of us with their flying abilities but they are not the only animals that can fly. So, now let’s discover some mammals and animals except birds that can fly or glide.

10. Ambopteryx

In the late Jurassic period, this animal would have been seen gliding from one tree to another with the fastest speed. So, this animal is considered one of the most flying mammals in the world. They are majorly seen in China and they have leathery bat-like wings that help them to move around. They are also known as second dinosaurs which are found with large membranes on their wings. This animal belongs to the Scansoriopterygidae family, which also includes Yi qi, another bat-winged dinosaur.

As per the research from their fossil, paleontologists said that their stomachs contained gizzard stones like modern plant-eating birds, but also bone fragments. So, they are the omnivore animals who eat both plants and animals. Hence, the non-bird dinosaurs were experimenting with different ways of flying, including bat-like wings and wings closer to those of birds.

9. Wallace’s Flying Frog

Have you ever seen a frog flying? Many of us have not even heard about this. Wallace’s flying frog is commonly known as the parachute frog. They are mainly found in the thick rainforests of Malaysia and Indonesia. They spend their whole life in trees and descending only to find mates and lay eggs. This type of frog uses their webbed feet to glide between trees or to the ground.

They can travel up to 15 meters in this way. Due to their gliding ability, they can catch their prey easily and escape predators if necessary. Their large toe pads them to stick to tree trunks. Their bright green bodies and black feet make them identical to other frogs. Different frogs can glide too, but Wallace’s flying frogs are one of the largest frogs. Wallace’s flying frog is also counted in the list of Flying animals in the world. Like frogs, you will also find various other animals except birds that can glide and able to fly.

8. Draco Lizard

Have you ever seen any animal flying except birds? The Draco lizard is one of the flying animals in the world. The scientific name of the Draco lizard is Draco Volans. Their gliding ability helps them escape from predators, find food, and even attract a mate. They are mostly found in the jungles of Southeast Asia and they normally eat ants and termites. They have elongated ribs that can extend and retract as per their needs. Between their ribs, there is a fold of skin that acts as wings when unfolded.

They use their tails to steer and have the potential to travel distances of up to 58 meters. Draco lizards also have an extra quality of turning their wrists 90 degrees to grab their ‘wings’ while in flight. The wings of the female Draco lizard are yellow while blue in males. The dewlap is yellow in males and blue-gray in females. They normally grow up to 20 centimeters including their tails.

7. Japanese Flying Squid

Have you ever heard or read about the Japanese Flying Squid? Japanese Flying Squid is commonly known as the Japanese common squid. The scientific name of the Japanese Flying Squid is Todarodes Pacificus. They are mostly found in the North Pacific Ocean, especially in Korea, Japan, China, Russia, and the Bering Strait.

The female Japanese flying squid is larger than the males. The Japanese Flying Squid can grow up to 50 centimeters long. Like Chameleons, they can also change their color to match their environment which protects them from predators. These animals use their jet propulsion to increase their speed in the water. They do this by taking water into their mantle muscular cavity that protects the squid’s body and pushing it out through the siphon.

6. Flying Fish

Have you ever seen a fish flying? I think many of us have never seen or heard about it. Flying fish are mostly found in the warm ocean waters around the world. They are also included in the flying animals of the world. There are around 70 species of flying fish known. They have a streamlined body which helps them to build up speed in the water so that they can break to the surface.

Flying fish have large long tails which helps and allows them to increase their speed as they approach the surface. Their large wing-like pectorals are extended at the right time through which the fish gains lift and becomes airborne. There are some flying fish that have large pelvic fins. So, they are also known as four-winged flying fish. Flying fish have a speed of 60 kilometers per hour before taking the flight.

5. Flying Squirrel

We normally see squirrels in our everyday life. But only some of us have seen the flying squirrel. There are around 50 different species of flying squirrel and all are characterized by aerial abilities. By looking different from the normal squirrel that we see in our day-to-day lives. These flying mammals don’t fly in real life but they can glide. Flying squirrels can easily glide from one tree to another by jumping from a high branch by stretching their limb to reveal the gliding membrane.

Some species of Flying squirrel can glide for up to 46 meters.  They are mostly found in the tropical and subtropical forests of Asia. Most of the species of the flying squirrel are nocturnal and they are generally omnivores as they eat both plants and animals. Due to their gliding abilities, they are also counted in the list of the flying animals in the world.

4. Flying Fox

Flying Fox is considered one of the flying mammals or animals in the world. The scientific name of the flying fox is Pteropus. Flying fox is a type of bat and is mostly found in the forests of Southeast Asia. They are the largest bats in the world, with a wingspan that can reach up to six feet. They have large wings which help them to glide through the air, and also help them to avoid trees and other obstacles when they’re flying through the forest. Besides their large wings, they also have an additional quality of excellent vision which helps them to search for food at night. The abilities of the flying fox make them a very efficient flier.

Top #3 Flying Animals are Below

3. Freshwater Butterfly Fish

Freshwater Butterfly Fish is scientifically known as Pantodon Buchholz. It is named a butterfly fish due to the shape of its fins. It is commonly found in Africa and this predatory fish will wait in pools of slow-moving water for prey to pass by using sensors in the skin. These sensors help them to detect the small waves that are caused by insects landing on the surface. They have pectoral fins to propel themselves to the surface and also help in capturing insects.

Besides all these abilities, they can also jump out of the water for a short period by gliding to the surface to avoid predators. Freshwater Butterflyfish can use their swim bladders to breathe in the surface air and can remain buoyant for a very short period. These fish have an extra quality of both air and water vision, so their eyes are directed upwards to watch for insects and scan the water.

2. Paradise Tree Snake

It might be surprising for most of us when we hear of a snake flying. The Paradise Tree snake is scientifically named as Chrysopelea Paradisi. This snake can glide easily by flattening and stiffening its body in ‘S’ shape. They are mostly found in Southeast Asia and grow up to 1.5 meters long. Due to their bright color skin and red flower-like scales they are easy to identify. They can tilt their body to 25 – 30 degrees against the airflow; it stays aerodynamic and can travel more than 20 meters. They look slightly different from other snakes. They are mildly venomous and their prey are mostly lizards and bats.

1. Colugos

Colugos is considered one of the flying mammals in the world. They are scientifically named as Cynocephalidae. They can glide up to 100 meters or more between the trees which makes them one of the most skilled gliding mammals. They are mostly found in Southeast Asia and sometimes it is also called flying lemur. Their limbs and tail are long and slender and their feet are broad and have strong, sharp recurved claws which helps them climb the trees.

They have a lightweight skeleton and wide surface area which helps them in gliding. Their eyes are very big and give a clear vision that helps them to glide between trees and land safely. Colugos are very skilled gliders that can easily carry their babies on to their stomachs and glide easily.

Conclusion of Flying Animals

This article is all about the flying animals in the world. Here there are many flying mammals or animals except the birds that can fly or glide. If you are interested in learning about the various flying animals then this is the right place for you. Continue reading this article to gain more knowledge about it.

Summary

Here is the list of the Flying Animals in the World.

1. Colugos
2. Paradise Tree Snake
3. Freshwater Butterfly Fish
4. Flying Fox
5. Flying Squirrel
6. Flying Fish
7. Japanese Flying Squid
8. Draco Lizard
9. Wallace’s Flying Frog
10. Ambopteryx

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