Ostrich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Common ostrich |
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| South African ostrich male (left) and females (S. camelus australis) | |||||
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Struthio
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| Species: |
camelus
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Struthio camelus distribution map
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The ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a very large flightless bird that lives in Africa. It is the biggest living bird species on Earth. Ostriches also lay the largest eggs of any living bird. Even though they cannot fly, ostriches can run faster than any other bird.
Ostriches belong to a group of large flightless birds called ratites. They have the biggest eyes of all land animals.
Contents
What Ostriches Look Like
Ostriches have long legs and a long neck, but their head is quite small. Male ostriches have black feathers. Female ostriches have gray and brown feathers. Both males and females have white feathers on their wings and tails.
Male ostriches can grow to be 1.8 to 2.7 meters (6 to 9 feet) tall. Females are a bit smaller, usually 1.7 to 2 meters (5.5 to 6.5 ft) tall. These amazing birds can run at speeds of about 65 kilometers per hour (40 miles per hour).
Where Ostriches Live
Today, ostriches only live in Africa. They prefer open grasslands called savannas. You can find them in areas like the Sahel, parts of East Africa, and southwest Africa. Some ostriches even live in parts of the Sahara desert. Long ago, ostriches also lived in the Middle East.
What Ostriches Eat
Ostriches mostly eat plants, but they also enjoy insects. Their plant diet includes seeds, shrubs, grass, fruits, and flowers. They also eat insects like locusts. Ostriches do not have teeth, so they cannot chew their food. Instead, they swallow small pebbles.
An adult ostrich carries about 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of stones in its gizzard. This is a special part of their stomach. The pebbles help grind the food, making it easier to digest. Ostriches can go for several days without drinking water.
Ostrich Behavior
Social Life
During winter, ostriches often live alone or in pairs. But during breeding season, or when there's very little rain, they gather in nomadic groups. These groups can have five to 50 birds. They sometimes travel with other grazing animals, like zebras or antelopes.
Ostriches have excellent eyesight and hearing. This helps them spot predators like lions from far away. If a predator chases them, ostriches can run over 70 km/h (43 mph). They can keep a steady speed of 50 km/h (31 mph). This makes the ostrich the fastest two-legged animal in the world.
When they want to hide from predators, ostriches lie down. They flatten their heads and necks on the ground. From a distance, they look like a mound of earth. Males also hold their wings and tail low. The heat haze in their hot habitat helps them blend in.
Ostriches can handle many different temperatures. In their homes, temperatures can change by 40°C (72°F) between day and night. They control their body temperature using their wings. They can cover their bare legs and sides to stay warm. Or they can leave these areas uncovered to cool down.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Ostriches are ready to have babies when they are 2 to 4 years old. Females mature about six months earlier than males. The way they mate can be different in various regions. Male ostriches will hiss and make other sounds to claim territory and mating rights. They try to attract a group of two to seven females, called a harem.
Males sometimes fight each other. These fights usually last only a few minutes. But they can be dangerous, as ostriches can hit opponents with their heads. The male who wins the fight gets to breed with all the females in that area. However, he will only form a strong pair bond with the main female.
The females lay their fertilized eggs in one large shared nest. This nest is a simple pit scraped in the ground by the male. It is usually 30 to 60 cm (12 to 24 in) deep and 3 m (10 ft) wide. The main female lays her eggs first. When it's time to cover the eggs for incubation, she removes extra eggs from the other females. Most nests end up with about 20 eggs.
Ostrich eggs are the largest of all eggs. The yolk inside is the largest single cell. Even though they are the largest eggs, they are actually small compared to the size of the adult bird. On average, an ostrich egg is 15 cm (6 in) long, 13 cm (5 in) wide, and weighs 1.4 kg (3.1 lb). This is more than 20 times the weight of a chicken egg!
The females sit on the eggs during the day to keep them warm. The males take over at night. This helps hide the nest. The drab female blends in with the sand during the day. The black male is almost invisible at night. The eggs hatch after 35 to 45 days.
Both male and female ostriches help raise the chicks. The male protects the young birds and teaches them how to find food. Not many chicks survive to adulthood, usually only one per nest.
Predators of Ostriches
When an ostrich feels threatened, it will either lie flat on the ground to hide or run away. If it gets trapped, it can kick very hard with its powerful legs. These kicks can cause serious injury or even death.
Common predators that attack ostrich nests and young chicks include jackals, various birds of prey, mongoose, and vultures. Animals that hunt ostriches of all ages include cheetahs, lions, leopards, African wild dogs, and spotted hyenas. Ostriches can often outrun their predators, even cheetahs, over long distances. However, they will sometimes fight fiercely against predators, especially when they are protecting their chicks. They have even been known to kill lions in such fights.
Ostriches and Humans
Ostriches are raised on farms in many countries. In the past, their feathers were very valuable. Today, they are farmed for their meat and eggs. Their skin can also be used to make leather.
In South Africa, hunters can collect one group of feathers from a wild ostrich. On farms, farmers can collect feathers every seven or eight months. The feathers will grow back, and they can be collected again.
Ostriches usually run away when threatened. But if they are cornered, they can kick forward with their powerful legs. These kicks can cause serious injury.
Ostriches that are raised by humans from a young age might try to court their human keepers instead of other ostriches. Ostriches typically live for 30 to 40 years.
It is a common myth that ostriches hide their heads in the ground when they are scared. This is not true.
Ostrich Racing
In some countries, people race each other on the backs of ostriches. This is more common in Africa and less so elsewhere. Ostriches are ridden much like horses, using special saddles, reins, and bits. However, they are much harder to control than horses.
Gallery
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A male (right) and a female (left).
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A female Ostrich.
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Struthio camelus egg – MHNT
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Size comparison (with a chicken egg and a US dollar bill)
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Ostrich with eggs
See also
In Spanish: Struthio para niños
