The ostrich is a peculiar bird, which, despite possessing giant wings, cannot fly. It is the world’s largest bird and is found in arid regions in Africa. It is grown in captivity in over 50 countries and is bred successfully. Its appearance is very unique and is characterized by a long neck and heavily feathered body. Its diet includes plants, roots, fruit, insects, lizards and small rodents. The nest of an ostrich is a simple hollow pit on the ground. The male and female take turns to incubate the eggs till they hatch. The female sits on them during the day, while the male takes over at night. A single herd will not contain more than 10-12 adult ostriches. To know more interesting facts and amazing information about the ostrich, just read below.
Facts about Ostrich
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Struthioniformes
Family: Struthionidae
Genus: Struthio
Species: S. camelus
Diet: Omnivore
Average Lifespan: 30 - 40 Years
Average Weight: 220 to 350 lbs (100 to 160 kg)
Interesting and Amazing Information about Ostrich
- The female ostrich has an extraordinary ability to spot her own eggs even when they get mixed up with eggs of other females in their collective nest.
- An ostrich is a very powerful bird and in fact, a single kick at a predator, such as a lion, could prove to be fatal!
- Contrary to the popular belief, ostriches do not hide their head in the sand. They basically stretch out their neck and lay their head on the ground so that they are not seen, which give rise to the myth that ostriches hide in the sand.
- Ostrich is the largest and heaviest living bird in the world. It is unable to fly and belongs to the Ratite family, which literally means flightless.
- Ostriches are fast runners and can run up to speeds of 70km/hr (40 mph) thus outpacing most predators, such as lions, leopards, and hyenas. Ostrich race is a popular attraction in ostrich farms and this large bird is capable of running with a small person mounted on top.
- The ostrich has one of the most advanced immune systems known to mankind.
- The meat of ostrich looks similar to beef and is also cooked in almost the same way. The meat is red meat, which is low in cholesterol, calories and is almost fat free.
- The hide of an Ostrich provides the strongest commercially available leather in the world and also has some of the most beautiful feathers, which were used in ancient times to decorate ladies’ hats.
- Ostriches can be called a true dinosaur since ostrich skeletons and fossils have been found that date back to 120 million years and haven’t really changed much.
