Animal Fact Sheet
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Ostrich
Struthio camelus
What does it look
like?
A very tall, flightless bird; it stands 7-8 feet. It has a long
neck, small head, soft body plumage, long legs ending in large feet
with only two toes (unlike other ratites or birds with flat breastbones,
which have 3 or 4 toes). The head has a flat beak, large eyes and
long eyelashes. Fine bristles (feathers) cover the head and neck
and the rest of the body is covered in feathers. Male feathers are
black or blackish on the body and white on the wings and tail. Female
feathers are a lighter sand color, which helps camouflage her while
incubating eggs during the day. An adult ostrich can weigh up to
320 pounds.
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| Habitat
At one time they roamed Syria and Arabia, but today are restricted
to the drier, sandier parts of Africa. Their ranges overlap with
giraffes in Kenya, Tanzania and Somalia.
Predators
Lions, jackals and hyenas are their main predators. Egyptian vultures
have been known to prey on eggs by dropping rocks on them. In short
bursts, ostrich can run up to 50 mph in strides reaching 15 feet.
When incubation eggs or hiding, an ostrich stretches its neck and
head on the similar colored sand. Only its bush-shaped body is visible,
the short tail looking like the shadow of the bush. When provoked,
an ostrich can kick, packing 500 pounds of force per square inch.
Social Life
Ostriches usually herd with other animals like zebras and antelopes.
Once breeding season approaches, the male utters a loud booming
noise to impress the females and scrapes a huge depression in the
sand. Eggs are laid in a common nest or a shallow scrape scratched
out in the sand. One male will mate with 3-4 females, the egg count
totaling 40-50 eggs. The male sits on the eggs all nights and is
relieved by the major hen during the day. Usually only 20 eggs hatch
after incubating 6 weeks. The hatching coincides with new growth
on the savanna. Once hatched, a chick is about a foot tall. By the
time it is a month old, it can keep up with its parents. At four
years it can begin a family of its own. |
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Feeding
Ostriches eat just about anything. Their mainly vegetarian diet
includes grasses, seeds, fruits, leaves, lizards, frogs, birds and
worms. Since they have no teeth, ostriches swallow stones and sand
to help digest food. They can go for a long period of time without
water but will drink if water is available. They also get water
from the food they eat. When hot. Ostriches pant to cool down.
Ostrich and Man
During the Egyptian rule, ostrich feathers were displayed as a sign
of justice and used by pharaohs for decoration. In the 1800’s,
ostriches were killed for feather decorations on hats and clothing.
Ostrich feathers are still worth a great deal of money. Fortunately,
they now cut feathers from ostriches that have been ranched for
food, hides and eggs. Kalahari Bushmen and others eat the eggs.
One egg can provide a meal for 12 people. Once the egg has been
eaten, the shells are used to carry water. |
