13 AMAZING FLYING ANIMALS (MAMMALS, REPTILES, AND BIRDS) - BIOLOGY - 2025

Flying animals are considered to be birds and those that have had morphological adaptations thanks to which they can make great jumps and glide, allowing them to get out of the water or move from a higher place to a lower one. This ability is present in some frogs, marsupials and fish, among other animals.

With a few exceptions, the only animals that have the specialized body structure to fly are birds, insects and, within the group of mammals, bats. The rest of the species that move through the air from one place to another do so by gliding or gliding.

Gliding is an evolutionary trait that has allowed these species to survive in their environment. It represents an effective tool when chasing its prey, to escape a threat or to move to other places more quickly.

For example, the Japanese flying squid glides up to 11 meters per second, which means that it can be in the air for around 3 seconds. In this way it manages to move quickly to flee from any threat.

List of flying animals

Tropical flying fish (

Source: pixabay.com

It is a marine fish belonging to the Exocoetidae family. It is found widely in subtropical and tropical waters of all oceans, the Caribbean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

It measures approximately 20 centimeters and its body is elongated dark blue. The fins of the tropical flying fish lack spines.

In addition to the cylindrical shape of its body, the Exocoetus volitans has two huge pectoral fins that allow it to propel itself at high speed out of the water.

Before emerging, this animal increases its swimming speed. After this, it opens its fins and glides for a long time, reaching distances of up to 100 meters.

To carry out this movement, it usually relies on the updraft that forms at the edges of the waves. Although this fish flaps its pectoral fins when in the air, this movement has not been proven to cause a power stroke that actually allows it to fly.

Wallace's flying frog (

Rushenb, from Wikimedia Commons

This species of amphibian inhabits the humid tropical forests of Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. His body measures about 10 centimeters.

The paratrooper frog - as it is also known - is green in color and has yellow spots on its thighs, fingers, and snout.

Their legs are long and large with interdigital webs, and the tips of the fingers end in an adhesive disk. These pads help cushion the landing shock and help hold onto the tree.

On the sides of the limbs and on the tail it has flaps of skin that, once extended, function as a parachute, facilitating its movement in the air.

This animal can glide from a high branch with its fingers and legs extended and its flaps distended. In this way it manages to move from tree to tree or to the ground covering a considerable distance. Although it can change the direction of its movement, it does not have the ability to perform controlled flight.

Wallace's flying frog can travel by gliding diagonally at an angle of less than 45 degrees for a distance of 1.6 meters. To land, it glides to the ground or a tree branch.

Flying Dragon (

Charles J Sharp

This lizard, belonging to the genus Draco, lives in the tropical forests of India and Asia. Its body measures approximately between 19 and 23 centimeters and is brown in color.

It has a fold on both sides of the torso attached to the movable ribs, it is brightly colored that stands out in relation to the rest of the body.

When it is climbing on a branch and needs to move towards the ground or another tree, it throws itself and spreads its folds. For this, the iliocostal muscles make the first 2 floating ribs erect forward.

In turn, the remaining ribs are also raised, as they are connected through ligaments. In this way a maximum extension of both folds is achieved, allowing the Draco volans to glide up to a distance of 60 meters.

African blue tailed glider lizard

Alois Staudacher, via Wikimedia Commons

Weighing only 1.5 grams, this species of lizard can glide to escape any threat (including predators) by allowing it to access remote areas with great speed and speed.

Because it lacks true wings and patagium, the movement of the African flying lizard will depend on the height of which it is launched and the morphological adaptations that its organism has for gliding.

The aerodynamic development of this species, belonging to the genus Holaspis, is based on its limbs.

On both the hind and forelegs there are small wing-shaped structures that allow it to glide. These ailerons are made up of protruding scales on the skin on both sides of the tail and on the fingers.

In addition to this, its bones are porous, which makes the animal's weight less. According to specialists, the evolutionary success of this species of lizard in gliding is due to its low body weight and the lightness of its skeleton.

Flying golden snake (Chrysopelea ornata)

Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, via Wikimedia Commons

This snake is found in the Southeast region and South Asia. Its body is slim and measures around 130 centimeters. It is generally green with black, yellow or gold shades.

Presumably, this species plans to flee from predators. It also does it to cover greater distances when moving or to hunt its prey in a surprising way.

When the Chrysopelea ornata decides to glide, it climbs the tree and then launches itself. At that moment, the flying snake contracts its belly inwards and a "U" shaped depression forms along its entire body. In this way, the outer edges of the ventral scales are kept rigid.

This concave surface that is formed acts similarly to a parachute, increasing air resistance. Then the snake can slide taking advantage of the thrust of the launch.

Once in the air, the animal begins to undulate its body, twisting its tail from side to side and thus achieving balance.

Northern flying squirrel (

Bob Cherry, via Wikimedia Commons

This nocturnal rodent lives exclusively in North America. Its skin is thick and cinnamon brown, with greyish belly and sides. It measures between 25 and 37 centimeters, and weighs a maximum of 230 grams.

To plan this species uses a resistant and elastic membrane, which comes from an extension of the skin of the abdomen and extends to the tips of the fingers of each limb. To start its movement, the squirrel can jump from a tree branch or start a short run.

When they are in the air they spread their legs, thus stretching the membranes. To avoid obstacles, the Glaucomys sabrinus is capable of turning up to 90 degrees.

The squirrel raises its flattened tail moments before landing in a tree, thus abruptly modifying the flight path. While descending, it extends its front and rear legs forward.

This makes the membrane adopt a parachute shape that will help reduce the impact of the landing, which falls mainly on the extremities. Once it has reached the other tree, it grabs onto it with its claws and hides, to avoid being exposed to predators.

Philippine flying lemur

Giant blanket. Source: pixabay.com

It is a species of cartilaginous fish that integrates the order Myliobatiforme. It can be found in temperate seas of the Pacific, Indian and Atlantic oceans.

The skin is rough and black or grayish-blue on the dorsal part. The ventral region of the manta ray - as this animal is also known - is white. Its body is rhombus-shaped with a wide central area and pectoral fins; when he moves them in the sea they resemble flapping wings.

Despite being an animal that can weigh almost 2 tons, the giant blanket can make great jumps out of the water.

These jumps can be in three different ways: in one the animal falls headlong, in another it jumps forward and falls with its tail, and in the last it makes a movement similar to a somersault.

These movements may be associated with evasion in the presence of a predator. Likewise, the male can use it as part of the mating procession or to demonstrate his strength before the other males of the group.

They can also be used as a means of communication, since the noise produced by the shock of the body when it falls can be heard from several kilometers away.

Flying spider (

Dick Culbert from Gibsons, BC, Canada, via Wikimedia Commons

These spiders are large and are characterized by the flattened dorsoventral region. They live in the humid forests and have nocturnal habits; the coloration of the skin offers them a perfect camouflage between the lichens that cover the bark and branches.

The aerial descent of the flying spider is directed, it defines the objective it wishes to achieve when planning from the ground: it can do so in order to move to another area of ​​the forest or to flee from a predator.

The untimely landing on the ground can offer you a more diverse diet. There it finds a variety of small insects that do not inhabit the canopy of the tree where it lives. Thus, you can capture them to feed.

During this movement the flying spider does not use silk threads. The Selenops sp performs glide using visual cues and axial appendages.

Shortly after the fall, this animal orients its body dorsoventrally, so that the head is the last to descend. The front legs are held forward and the hind legs extend laterally backwards.

In this way, displacement occurs due to controlled variations in the inclination of the body and the abrupt change in orientation of its extremities.

Japanese flying squid (

self, from Wikimedia Commons

It is a mollusk that measures 50 centimeters, weighs about 500 grams and inhabits the waters of the western and northern Pacific. This squid has the ability to jump out of the water, moving approximately 30 meters.

To achieve this your body has some adaptations; one of these is the presence of a thin membrane between its tentacles. Another important feature is the projectile shape of its body, with two wide triangular fins.

The propulsion of the animal out of the water is due to a muscular structure that draws in the water on one side and expels it on the other. This generates a jet propulsion that propels it out of the water. Even when in the air it continues to throw water with force, which helps to push the body.

Once in the air, the squid extends its fins and tentacles to soar and glide. As you glide, you actively change your body posture.

To dive back into the ocean, the Todarodes pacificus bends its tentacles and fins, in order to lessen the impact. The researchers attribute this behavior to a way of protecting against attack by predators.

Giant pigargo

The giant eagle or steller is one of the largest and heaviest birds on the planet. It lives in northwest Asia and feeds on fish. This bird was named after the German zoologist Georg Wilhelm Steller, although it was discovered by Peter Simon Pallas. In Russia and Japan it is considered a protected species.

Helm hornbill

The helmeted hornbill is a bird distinguished by its peculiar beak. Unfortunately, it is the object of hunting, since its beak is used for crafts. It lives in Borneo, Sumatra, Indonesia and Malaysia. Its peak represents 10% of its weight.

Black bird of paradise

The black bird of paradise was discovered in 1939 in New Guinea and since then it has been the object of study and interest for its peculiar long tail. Their feathers can be up to 1 meter long. Its beautiful plumage has made it a victim of hunters and unfortunately today it is in danger of extinction.

References

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