Britannica Sources used in this answer

How do the small heart and lungs of tinamous limit their flight?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

The flight of tinamous is limited because their circulatory system is insufficient for sustained activity. While their flight muscles are well developed, tinamous possess a surprisingly small heart and lungs, which results in a low circulation rate. Consequently, if these birds are forced to make several flights in short succession, they quickly become exhausted.1