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Birds
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Ostrich
Struthio
camelus
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 Appearance
The ostrich is too big to fly but
has become so perfectly adapted to high-speed running that
it is the fastest creature on two legs. At speeds of up
to 70 km/h (44 mph), it can easily outstrip most enemies.
Powerful legs, flexible knees and supple, two-toed feet
are its adaptations for speed. The ostrich has lost its
strong wing feathers, but the male has soft, curling plumes,
once much in demand for fashionable hats and boas. Female
birds are slightly smaller than males and have brownish
plumage and off-white wings and tails. Juveniles are grayish-brown.
Size: 1.75 - 2.75 m (6 - 9 ft) tall |
Description
They are nomadic, wandering in small
groups in search of food. |
Regions
Africa in grassland, arid land |
Diet
Ostriches eat mostly plant matter
but occasionally feed on small reptiles. |
Breeding
At breeding time, the male collects
a harem of 2 to 5 females. One female scrapes a shallow
pit in the ground in which to lay her eggs, and the rest
of the harem probably uses the same nest. The eggs are the
biggest laid by any bird -- the equivalent in volume of
about 40 hen's eggs. The male bird takes over the incubation
of the eggs at night and shares in the care of the young. |
Status
Non-threatened |
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