Ostrich

The ostrich, the largest and heaviest bird, is one of the handful of birds that cannot fly.  They live in arid and semi-arid habitats in Africa, as well as in a small population of once captive birds that were released into the wilds of Australia.  Several sub-species of the common ostrich, Struthio camelus can be found across most of Africa, while the Somali ostrich, Struthio molybdophanes, is only found in the far east around the Horn of Africa. 

^{Common ostrich, Struthio cameus, Tanzania by Patrick Gijsbers, Getty Images Signature; Female Somali ostrich, Struthio molybdophanes, in Kenya by Ninara, Dec 2013; Male Somali ostrich, Struthio molybdophanes, in Kenya by Christiaan Kooyman, Jan 2003}

Ostrich males, called roosters, are predominantly black and can grow to 9′ and 180 pounds, while the slightly smaller females, called hens, have grayish-brown feathers and top out at about 6′ and 240 pounds.  They live 30-40 years in the wild.  Ostrich eyes, at almost 2″ in diameter, are the largest eyes of any land animal.  Their species, camelus, refers to their long necks, large eyelashes, long legs, and their ability to go without water for extended periods.

Birds that can fly have many strong flight muscles attached to their sternum, which is shaped like a keel, an elongated structure which is narrow at the top and flares out at the bottom.  However, the sternum of the ostrich is flattened and their wings are quite small.  They do have powerful legs that allow them to sprint over 40mph and run long distances at an average speed of 31mph.  Their long legs can cover 10-16 feet in a single stride.  They only have two toes with one having a long claw that can dig into the ground for extra traction.

Ostriches live in small family groups called herds.  An average herd is about a dozen birds, led by one dominant male and one dominant female, called pack leaders.  When males are ready to breed, they make a booming sound using an air sac in their throats that can be heard over long distances.  When a female approaches, the male will puff out his chest, bow to the female, and do a dance that includes much tail shaking.  This is repeated several times until the female indicates whether or not she will mate.

A dominant male digs a shallow nest 9 to 10 feet wide and mates with several females.  Each mating results in 7-10 eggs laid together in the one nest.  Ostrich eggs are the largest of any egg in the world weighing about 3 pounds, equal to 2 dozen chicken eggs.  One male and one female will take turns incubating about 20 of the eggs, while the remaining eggs are ejected from the nest.  Babies hatch in six weeks and are the size of a chicken when born, but they will grow about a foot a month, reaching adult size in six months.

Ostriches are omnivores mainly eating roots, seeds, and leaves, but will also eat insects, rodents, and snakes.  They lack teeth; and as with many birds, they ingest small pebbles to help grind their food in the stomach.  They are most vulnerable when eating or protecting their nests, and predators include lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and jackals.  When threatened, an ostrich will not bury its heads in the sand.  The bird may lie down on the ground with its head and neck stretched out to present a lower profile.  They may run away, but if that is not possible, especially when protecting a nest, they will stand their ground.  Their legs and sharp claws are powerful enough to deliver a kick capable of killing an adult lion.  Many predators will not attack an adult ostrich, but their eggs are a delicacy for predators, vultures and other opportunists.

Many farms raise these birds, harvesting feathers and leather for clothing, plus meat and eggs for food.  Although they are not considered endangered, ostriches are still threatened by habitat loss and poaching.  At the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum you can view an adult ostrich, nest and eggs, plus see our new display on the skeletal structure of birds including our adult ostrich skeleton.