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Asked by 653evnb35 to Thomas, Thad on 12 Mar 2015.
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Thomas Clements answered on 12 Mar 2015:
Well the main reason is that they have evolved not to be able to because it doesn’t benefit their lifestyle in their habitat.
You can either fly well or swim well, you can’t do both!
Over many millions of years they have lost their flying feathers and reduced the length but increased the width of their wings to form flippers. They have also evolved different muscle groups to aid in swimming.
Interesting fact – penguins evolved around 62 million years ago, back when dinosaurs still lived!
2nd interesting fact – penguins don’t use fat to keep them warm, but rather their plumage is very small and lock together really well trapping a layer of air that insulates them.
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Thaddeus Aid answered on 12 Mar 2015:
Hi,
Penguins fly through the water instead of the air. Penguins have evolved to hunt in the water which is where they find their food, so instead of being able to fly from place to place they can swim faster than the fish that they want to eat. The way that a penguin swims is very similar to the way that other birds fly. Their wings guide them through the water and their feathers keep them safe and warm from the cold water and air. Because water is much thicker than air the penguins’ bodies have changed in ways that make the penguin stronger and heavier than other birds of the same size, they have also lost their flight feathers in exchange for the ability to swim even better than before. A penguins’ streamlined form is perfect for swimming through the water and catching fish!
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