All information about the ostrich

The ostrich

The ostrich (Struthio camelus) belongs to the family of ostriches (Struthionidae). There is only one genus under this family and this genus consists of two species. The ostrich has as many as four subspecies:

• Ostrich (Struthio camelus)

  • South African ostrich (Struthio camelus australis)

  • North African ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus)

  • Masai ostrich or East African ostrich (Struthio camelus massaicus)

  • Arabian ostrich (Struthio camelus syriacus)

• Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes)

Ostrich behavior

Everyone knows the information that the ostrich puts its head in the sand in the face of danger. However, this is a myth. Adult ostriches can actually defend themselves very well! They have strong legs with sharp nails with which they can deliver hard kicks, breaking the bones of its enemy. Ostriches can also run very fast. They are the fastest land animal on two legs and can reach speeds of up to 75 km per hour! They maintain this high speed for only a short distance. At 45 km per hour, they can run long distances. While fleeing, an ostrich sometimes seems to suddenly disappear. It then lies flat on the ground with its neck and legs stretched out. Thus, the ostrich does not stick its head in the sand, but stretches itself completely over the sand! There is no better camouflage trick.

Why can't an ostrich fly?

The ostrich is the heaviest walking bird in the world. They weigh between ninety and 150 pounds! Because they are so heavy, this is one reason why ostriches cannot fly. Another reason is their feathers. Ostriches do not have the right feathers to fly and have wings that are too small. This is because the beards of the feathers are not connected like feathers of other birds that can fly. As a result, the wind easily passes through the beards and the ostrich cannot take off. Also, an ostrich loves water. Therefore, they are often found near puddles of water and take a bath here when they get the chance.

Ranger Floor shows you in the following video

Is an ostrich a mammal or a bird?

The ostrich is a bird. Ostriches, in fact, lay eggs. A mammal develops in its mother's belly and gives birth alive. Also, ostriches have a beak and feathers. Only birds have a beak and feathers.

What is an ostrich's habitat?

Ostriches used to live in southwest Asia, North Africa and even Europe. Until a few decades ago, ostriches could be found almost all over Africa. The birds were hunted a lot and as a result they disappeared in many regions. In East and South Africa, ostriches are still common. Nowadays ostriches are also bred on farms, making the hunting of wild ostriches unnecessary. Ostriches can adapt well to different areas. For example, they live in open grasslands, areas of dense scrub and even rocky areas.

What does an ostrich look like?

An ostrich is the heaviest and largest walking bird in the world. It is the fastest land animal on two legs. Females can reach a length between 1.75 and 1.90 meters and males can grow as long as 2.10 to 2.75 meters! The difference between the male and female is easily seen in the color of their plumage. The male is black with white tufts at the end of the tail and wings. The female is gray-brown in color. They have very long, strong legs with sharp nails. The feet of the ostrich are unique because each foot has only two toes. The animal has a long neck with a small head and large eyes.

What kind of sound does an ostrich make?

An ostrich communicates with its peers with different sounds. The sound of an ostrich is very special. For example, they can blow, snort, whistle and hiss, but the males can also make a sound that sounds like a deep drum. This sound can be heard from great distances. To make this sound, the birds compress air in their esophagus. This causes the neck to swell completely and a deep, loud reverberation comes out of its throat.

What does an ostrich eat?

Ostriches are primarily herbivores. They eat stems, leaves, flowers and seeds. Occasionally they also eat small animals such as lizards or insects, but animal remains left behind by predators are also sometimes on the menu. They can survive for long periods of time without water and get most of their water from their food. Ostriches can survive a 25% weight loss from dehydration. If you have a 130-pound ostrich, that's about 33 pounds! In zoos, an ostrich needs about 3.5 pounds of feed per day.

How does an ostrich reproduce?

Ostriches live in groups of five to 50 animals. Prior to mating, the male separates from the group with about three to five females. This is where the mating ritual then begins. The male always does a dance for a female. He sits on the ground and fans his wings. At the same time, he throws his head back and moves it back and forth on his back. If the female wants to mate, she sits down on the ground and mating takes place sitting down.

Ostrich eggs

The male and his three to five females look for a suitable place for the ostrich nest. Often this is a pit in the sand. This is where the females lay their eggs. One ostrich egg weighs one and a half pounds, which is as much as 25 to 30 chicken eggs combined! Not all ostrich eggs are laid neatly in the nest, so the male himself rolls these eggs into the nest. A nest may contain as many as fifteen to sixty eggs! Both the male and the alpha female incubate the eggs. The male does this in the evening and at night. His black plumage makes him unnoticeable in the dark. During the day, the female sits on the eggs. Her sand-colored plumage makes her unnoticeable precisely during the day when she sits on the nest. The eggs hatch about after forty to forty-six days.

Ostrich chicks

Ostrich chicks are very active the very first day. They have very short, thick legs and a gray-brown spotted downy plumage. When all the chicks have hatched, the ostriches leave the nest site. When the chicks are about three months old, the family groups often join together and the chicks are protected by a few adult males. After about five years, the chicks are mature and can produce young of their own.

How many eggs does an ostrich lay? Ranger Floor shows in this Ranger Request!

How does an ostrich live?

Ostriches live in groups of five to 50 animals. During the breeding season, they occupy areas from two to as much as fifteen km². Outside the breeding season, smaller groups of about two to five animals are formed. These smaller groups consist of a male, a few females and their chicks. During the dry season, it is common for the birds to live together in open areas in large groups of up to one hundred birds. Ostriches often live with zebras and antelopes. The ungulates hunt insects that the ostriches can catch, and the ostrich warns the ungulates of danger.

Conservation

Fortunately, the status of the ostrich is safe. But unfortunately, many of the species you see in our park are endangered and struggling in their native habitats. Did you know that worldwide more than 4,000 animal species threatened with extinction are endangered? Together we can help them, with big, or small steps. Want to know how? Then click here.

Come to Safaripark Beekse Bergen and join the safari bus. Maybe the ranger will have a real ostrich egg with you!