Habits: Depending upon the amount of grass and vegetation available, ostriches will live in a variety of habitats, including sparsely wooded areas, savannah grasslands, and semideserts. Outside the breeding season, adult ostriches spend their time in small, loose groups of two to five birds. Desert populations of ostriches are more nomadic. They travel great distances to find food and to avoid drought. Kicking up sand as they go, ostriches swing from side to side as they run.

Food and Feeding: The ostrich grazes on the scarce but nutritious plant shoots, leaves, flowers, and seeds in its habitat. With the use of its long neck, it gathers food and stores it in its throat, called a gullet, before passing it down the digestive tract. Like many other birds, the ostrich also swallows dirt, sand, and small stones along with its food. This material grinds up the tough plant fibers that accumulate in the gizzard (the bird’s second stomach) and so helps digestion. While grazing, ostriches often scan the horizon for a sign of predators. Their long necks and acute vision are especially helpful for this purpose.

Ostrich and Man: Ostriches were once farmed for their feathers, which were used as hat plumes. Today they are raised for their meat and skin. They have also been trained to scare other birds away from crops and to round up sheep, as well as to be ridden in races. Ostriches were first introduced into Australia in the 1860s. Many of the ostriches being farmed escaped and started breeding in the wild.

Breeding: During breeding season, males make several shallow depressions, called nest scrapes, in the ground within their territories. Each male pairs up with a female – the major hen – who chooses a nest scrape and lays as many as twelve eggs. Thereafter, two to five additional hens also lay their eggs in the same nest. Because of its large size, the ostrich can incubate many eggs. However, if there are more eggs than she can incubate, the major hen will roll some of the minor hens’ eggs to the edge of the nest, where they may fail to hatch. Soon after hatching, the brood joins up with broods from other nests, and the large flock of chicks is guarded by one or two adults.

Males defend their territories by chasing away intruders and making aggressive displays, flicking their wings or raising them in the air. As night falls, the male takes over nest duty. If he has a large troop of minor hens, he may be sitting on up to forty eggs, although only those eggs at the center of the nest, laid by the major hen, are sure to hatch.

Key Facts:
Sizes:
Height: Males, 6-9 ft. Females, 5-6 ft.
Weight: Males, up to 350 lb. Females, up to 200 lb.

Breeding:
Sexual maturity: Males, 3-4 years. Females, 2 years
Mating season: Varies
Eggs: 10-12, cream or white
Incubation: About 42 days
Fledging: 4-5 months

Lifestyle:
Habit: Usually forms small groups
Diet: Grasses, seeds, leaves, and flowers. Very occasionally eats locusts and grasshoppers
Lifespan: Over 40 years

Related Species: Nearest relatives are rheas, cassowaries, kiwis, and emus – all flightless birds.
Distribution: Widespread in the southern Sahara, Somalia, Ethiopia, and parts of East Africa and the Zambesi. Feral populations, descendants of introduced birds, also exist in Australia.
Conservation: Numbers in southern Sahara are decreasing due to hunting. In other places, populations are not threatened but are declining as a result of human intrusion into habitats.

How the Ostrich Runs From Danger: Unique among birds, the ostrich has hoof like feet which help it to run rapidly away from danger. Powered by strong leg muscles, it walks at a speed of 2 mph. When alarmed, it will run at 20 mph. When frightened, an ostrich can sprint at 45 mph. Unable to fly, the ostrich has developed strong feet which enable it to run faster than any other bird.

Did You Know:
It is a common misconception that ostriches bury their heads in the sand. This belief most likely came about because, from a distance, the tiny head of a grazing ostrich may not be visible.
Ostriches in captivity have swallowed an amazing variety of objects. During its lifetime, one ostrich swallowed a roll of film, three gloves, a comb, a bicycle valve, a pencil, a piece of rope, several coins, part of a gold necklace, a handkerchief, and a clock.
One ostrich egg is equal in volume to twenty hen’s eggs.
Ostrich fossils found in India, China, and southern Russia are 7 million years old.

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