Animals That Fly But Aren't Birds

Flying Ray Our top spot on the list of animals that fly belongs to the flying ray. More commonly called Mobula rays or devil rays, these flying rays are members of the genus Mobula and are closely related to manta rays. There are 11 recognized species in the genus, and they are found in warm waters all over the world from the Mediterranean Sea to the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California.

Flying Snake Flying snakes are one of five species from the genus Chrysopelea. These snakes are residents of Western India and the islands of Indonesia, and they can grow up to 4 feet long. Although they glide like many of the other animals on our list, these snakes are actually more nimble fliers than flying squirrels and colugos.

Colugo Colugos are more commonly referred to as flying lemurs, but the name is a misnomer as they are not actually related to lemurs at all. The closest genetic relatives of the colugo are primates like the great apes. Only two species of this mammal remain which diverged from apes approximately 80 million years ago.

Flying Squid Flying squid is similar to the flying fish we mentioned earlier in our list except that they are even more surprising. A fish flying by your boat is one thing, but who expects a squid to jump out of the water and fly right by? There are several species of flying squid, but the Japanese flying squid (Todarodes pacificus) has the most striking appearance.

Wallace’s Flying Frog Wallace’s flying frog (Rhacophorus nigropalmatus) is the largest and best-known specimen of several species of flying frogs. Native to the tropical forests of Malaysia and Borneo, Wallace’s flying frog spends the vast majority of its time up in the trees and descends only to lays eggs or mate. They use the webbing between their legs to glide for distances of up to 50 feet after jumping from branches when threatened or hunting insects.

Flying Squirrel Flying squirrels belong to the tribe Pteromyini which encompasses over 50 different species. They are another mammal that does not have true sustained flight but can glide for incredible distances. Layers of loose skin and muscle between their legs allow some species to glide for distances up to 1,500 feet. These squirrels are nocturnal and will jump from treetops and cliffs to begin their flight.

Flying Fish Exocoetidae is a family that contains over 40 different species of flying fish. These fish have specialized pectoral fins that can be extended and flattened to allow them to jump out of the water and glide at speeds of up to 37 mph. Flying fish swim powerfully up to the surface and then use their fins to glide for over 600 feet even reaching heights of up to 4 feet.

Flying Fox Next up are any of the 65 species of fruit bats known as flying foxes who are all members of the genus Pteropus. While these are technically also bats, they have so many differences that they warrant their own discussion. 

Bat Bats are of the order Chiroptera, and they are the only flying mammal. Ranging in size from the tiny bumblebee bat (Craseonycteris thonglongyai) which weighs only 0.07 ounces up to the golden-crowned flying fox (Acerodon jubatus) which can weigh 3 pounds, these animals eat a wide variety of things like insects, fruit, nectar, and animal blood.