Common ostrich Struthio camelus
The largest and heaviest bird in the world.
Whilst ostriches are flightless birds and can no longer take to the air, they can run extremely fast.
The ostrich in a nutshell
- eats
- seeds, flowers, insects, small vertebrates
- inhabits
- Central and South Africa
- excels at
- running
On the menu
The ostrich is a herbivore, but occasionally eats the remains of animal carcasses left behind by predators. Other than this, it is quite a picky eater, consuming only the seeds and heads of certain crops, flowers, and sometimes insects and small vertebrates. Ostriches can go for long periods without water.
A bird of extremes
The ostrich is a bird with a number of extreme characteristics. For example, it is the largest and heaviest of all birds, and is also the fastest biped in the world, reaching speeds of up to 70 kilometres per hour. The ostrich also produces the largest eggs in the animal kingdom.
Incubating eggs
Ostriches live in groups. The females lay their eggs in a communal nest which is a simple, shallow pit. All eggs are hatched simultaneously by the dominant female. Ostrich eggs are about fifteen centimetres long, thirteen centimetres wide and weigh an average of 1,500 grams. The shell is extremely strong and will not break under the weight of an adult human male.
Head in the sand
The idea that ostriches stick their heads in the sand is a myth that probably arises from their survival tactic. To avoid being spotted by a predator, ostriches lie down with their heads and necks flat on the ground. From a distance, they then resemble nothing more than a pile of earth.