Worksheets and No Prep Teaching Resources Reading Comprehension Worksheets Animal Themes Endangered Animals Theme Unit Birds

Flightless Cormorants Animal Themes

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Flightless Cormorants
Print Flightless Cormorants Reading Comprehension


Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	grades 7 to 10
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	9.5

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		forego, feral, uninhabitable, covering, consequently, cormorant, prior, flightless, land-dwelling, reduction, emus, terrestrial, untangle, bishop, offshore, speculate
	content words:		Galapagos Islands, El Niño, During El Niño

Other Languages
     Spanish: Los Cormoranes de las Galápagos

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Flightless Cormorants

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¹     There are many flightless birds in the world. Ostriches, emus, cassowaries, kiwis, and penguins are all examples of bird species that have lost their ability to glide across the sky. Even though these birds cannot fly, they do have wings fully covered with feathers. The lack of this common feature is what makes the flightless cormorant so unique!
 
²     As the name suggests, the flightless cormorant is another bird species in the world that cannot fly. If you have the chance to visit the Galapagos Islands, you may have the privilege of seeing a flightless cormorant outstretching its wings and basking under the sun. At first glance, you may think somebody must have recently plucked feathers off the bird's wings! Indeed, the flightless cormorant has sparse feathers covering its wings, making you wonder who just played a cruel joke on the poor bird!
 
³     Flightless cormorants have black feathers, black webbed feet, and black beaks. Found on only two islands of the Galapagos Islands, flightless cormorants stand up to 40 inches tall and weigh less than 9 pounds. Although both penguins and flightless cormorants traded the skill of flying with swimming, they have different styles. Penguins like to use their wings as paddles. Flightless cormorants prefer to give out powerful kicks with their feet. Flightless cormorants usually stay within 330 feet from the coastline. They feed on octopuses, eels, and fish.

Paragraphs 4 to 9:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable

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Animal Themes

Animal Themes

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Endangered Animals Theme Unit

Endangered Animals Theme Unit

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Birds

Birds

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Animals

Amphibians         Birds         Deserts         Fish         Freshwater         Grasslands         Insects

Invertebrates         Mammals         Oceans         Polar Regions         Rain Forest         Reptiles

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