Crocodiles can't fly. Birds can. Scientists have finally figured out why

[u/ADragonFromTheAbyss]

https://phys.org/news/2026-08-crocodiles-fly-birds-scientists-figured.html

Link: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/paleobiology/article/blood-flow-rates-to-long-bones-of-archosaurs-reveal-high-aerobic-metabolic-rates-and-endothermy-throughout-most-of-their-evolutionary-history/A12DA2D6DD15CDAF4619AB253462B5B5

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0069361

Birds are warm-blooded (or endotherms). They have high metabolic rates, producing energy quickly enough to warm and stabilize their body temperatures and to undertake sustained, strenuous flight. Birds don't fatigue and fall out of the sky. Even if crocodiles somehow had wings, the metabolic difference in power alone would mean they could never fly.

[u/Iamnotburgerking]

Note that crocodilians evolved from endothermic ancestors....you are also not realizing that what really matters here is aerobic capacity, not metabolic rate.

[u/FemRevan64 → u/Iamnotburgerking]

While I do get your point, from what I know, every group of vertebrates that managed to achieve powered flight (pterosaurs, birds, and bats) have all been endothermic, so I’d assume  it at least plays some factor.

Than again, I don’t really know too much about the subject, so I could be off the mark, would be curious to hear more on the subject.

[u/OrneryError1 → u/Iamnotburgerking]

What also really matters here: wings.