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Ostriches
With five sub species, the Ostrich is the world's largest living bird. Its long neck and heavily feathered body make it easily recognizable. Once only seen in Africa, they are now grown in captivity in over 50 countries. The Ostrich belongs to the Ratite family, which literally means flightless. Browse around this category to learn more about them.
749 Questions
They mainly feed on seeds, shrubs, grass, and other plant matter; occasionally they also eat insects such as locusts. Lacking teeth, they swallow pebbles that help as gastroliths to grind the swallowed food in the gizzard. An adult Ostrich typically carries about 1 kg of stones in its stomach. Ostriches can go without water for several days, living off the moisture in the ingested plants. However, they enjoy water and frequently take baths where it is available.
How does an ostrich adapt to their habitat?
The ostriches's long featherless legs help it to run fast over long distances, and enable them as a defense weapon against predators, through very powerful kicking. The lack of feathers on the legs and neck also helps them cope with the heat, as they lack the ability to sweat.
What are two of the ostrich's instincts?
Run away from threats or stand and fight. Pretty much the same for any other lifeform.
No, ostrich do not have teeth. There is a photoshopped picture on the web that shows a closeup of an ostrich with a beakful of teeth, but it is not a real photo. The teeth appear to be those of a canine. So if it has a beak there no teeth.
What are ostriches and gazelles are they mutualism commensalism or parasitism?
Mutualism. Both beneifit from the protection
Pssh well, if an Ostrich eats yogurt and is a herbivore then you have one weird ostrich. But on the other hand ostriches could be described as egg laying birds with no blood coursing through their veins at all
What ecosystem does an ostrich live in?
Ostriches are large, flightless birds. They are between 2.1 and 2.8 m (7 - 9.25 ft) in height, they have a wingspan of approximately 2 m (6.6 ft) and they weigh between 100 and 160 kgs (220 - 350 lbs).
They have a long, bare neck, a small head, a huge body and long, muscular legs. Their feathers are loosely packed and males are coloured black with a white tail and wing tips and females are brown/grey and white in colour.
They have the longest legs of any bird and they have two toes on each foot. The large inner toe has a nail that resembles a hoof while the smaller outer toe lacks a nail. This adaptation aids them while they are running and they can reach speeds up to 70 km/hr (43.5 mph). Ostriches are the fastest animal over time and they can sustain speeds of 50 km/hr (31 mph) for as long as 30 minutes.
Ostriches have the largest eyes of any land living animal and they measure 50 mm (2 inches) in diameter. Their beak is flat and broad and it has a rounded tip. They do not have any teeth so to aid digestion they will eat small stones to help grind down their food in their stomach. They have a 14 m (46 ft) long intestine which enables the Ostrich to get as many nutrients out of their diet as possible.
They live in a climate that can have temperature differences as much as 40°C between day and night time therefore Ostriches can with stand a variety of temperatures. To help control their temperature they utilize the bare skin on their upper legs and flanks, covering it with their wing feathers or exposing it depending on if they want to retain heat or cool down. Another adaptation to this climate is that they are able to raise their body temperature by 4°C during hot periods to minimize their water loss through perspiration.
Habitat
Ostriches are found in the open, semi-arid savannahs of Africa. They tend to live in mixed groups of 5 - 50 individuals but sometimes they live alone.
Diet
Ostriches mainly feed on grasses, roots, seeds, leaves and flowers. They also occasionally eat invertebrates and small lizards. They are able to go for long periods without water as they get the moisture they need from the vegetation that they eat.
Breeding
During the breeding season males make loud, booming calls and produce elaborate displays. A dominant male will defend a territory between 2 and 15 sq. kms (0.8 - 5.8 sq. miles) and he will mate with the major hen and other females within the area.
A nest is constructed by scraping a hollow in the soil and it is approximately 3 m (9 ft) in diameter. The major hen lays 5 - 11 eggs in the nest and the minor hens lay 2 - 6 eggs in the same nest, but the minor hens play no part in the incubation of the eggs. As many as 40 - 60 eggs can accumulate in the nest but only 20 will be incubated. The major hen is able to distinguish the eggs that she laid and will ensure that they are covered at all times.
Ostrich eggs are glossy cream in colour and they are on average 15 cm (6 inches) in length, 13 cms (5 inches) wide and 1.4 kgs (3 lbs) in weight. They are incubated for 35 - 45 days and upon hatching the young ostriches are well cared for and defended by the dominant male and the major hen. Occasionally if two family groups encounter each other a fight may break out and the victorious pair may make off with the young of the other Ostriches.
Ostriches reach sexual maturity at 2 - 4 years of age with females maturing about 6 months before males.
Predators
The main predators to Ostriches are cheetahs but lions, african wild dogs, leopards and spotted hyena are also a threat. An adult male Ostrich is a formidable opponent and will strike out at a predator, however in most cases Ostriches are able to out run their pursuer.
Ostrich chicks are vulnerable to a range of predators including large eagles and eggs are taken by banded mongoose and egyptian vultures.
Subspecies
There are five recognized subspecies of Ostrich but only four are still in existence today:
Southern Ostrich
(Struthio camelus australis)
They are also known as the South African Ostrich and they are found in Southern Africa. They were once farmed for their feathers in the Little Karoo area of Cape Province.
North African Ostrich
(Struthio camelus camelus)
They are also known as the Red-necked Ostrich and they are the largest subspecies. They are the most widespread and can be found from east to west Africa. Their neck is red and the plumage of female's is grey in colour.
Masai Ostrich
(Struthio camelus massaicus)
They are found in east Africa and their range is limited to Kenya, Tanzania and parts of southern Somalia. Their neck and thighs are orange and during the mating season the neck and thighs of males become bright orange. They also have some small feathers on their head.
Somali Ostrich
(Struthio camelus molybdophanes)
They are found in Somalia, Ethiopia and northern Kenya. Their neck and thighs are grey/blue in colour and during the mating season the neck and thighs of males become bright blue. Females tend to be more brown in colour than other subspecies. They generally live alone or in pairs rather than in flocks.
Arabian Ostrich
(Struthio camelus syriacus)
They were also known as the Middle Eastern Ostrich and they were found in the Arabian Peninsula, Syria and Iraq. They became extinct around 1966.
Interesting Facts
Ostriches are the largest, tallest and heaviest species of bird.
The name "Strothio camelus" means camel-like.
Ostrich eggs are the largest of all birds eggs, but they are the smallest relative to their size.
Only 10% of all Ostrich eggs laid will end up hatching.
There are many Ostrich farms in African countries that produce Ostriches for sustenance needs. These commercial farms meet the demand for Ostrich products so wild populations are not as affected by demand as they have been in the past.
It is a myth that Ostriches bury their heads in the sand.
Ostrich feathers have been used to make feather dusters for over 100 years.
Are ostriches a mammal bird or an amphibian?
Elephants are mammals, ostriches are flightless birds.
Mammals are warmblooded vertebrates that, with few exceptions, give birth to live young and feed them milk from mammary glands after birth. The exceptions are the monotremes (the platypus and two species of spiny anteaters) that, like the ostrich, lay eggs. However, an ostrich does not suckle its young.
What country does an ostrich live in?
Ostriches are native to Africa, and used to live in the Middle East until they became extinct in the mid 20th century due to excessive hunting. In the wild, ostriches live in savannas. A savanna is just a grassland ecosystem that has a limited amount of trees and shrubs. Ostriches also live in heaps of other countries worldwide, in zoos and on farms. Due to their unique appearance ostriches are a popular attraction in zoos across the world. They are also farmed for their tasty meat, eggs and their very popular feathers. Ostriches can live in both very cold and fairly warm climates and are found in countries like Sweden, Finland and Australia in zoos and on farms. So now you know where ostriches live, let's look at seven cool facts about ostriches.
The name of a male ostrich is a "cock". The name of a female ostrich is a hen. The newly hatched ostrich is a chick.
Is the ostrich the largest bird in the world?
Yes. Ostriches are about 8 feet tall and weigh up to 300 pounds. Just the egg alone is equal to the weight of 24 chickens!
Why do ostriches have feathers?
Ostriches do not have furry coats, they are birds and have feathers to protect their body from the elements.
Actually, I do believe so. (:
You should really do some research?
Well, That's all I know.
But, I'm pretty sure they do.
You know how it is? Haha.
-Emily.
Mythically, ostriches stick there heads in the sand when they feel they are in danger. So to behave like an ostrich is to ignore a problem in the hope that it will go away.
What bird has a white head and black body?
The White-Headed Woodpecker
LATIN NAME: Picoides albolarvatus
SIZE: L 9.25" WS 16" WT 2.1 oz (61 g)
REGION: Found in the western United States
FACT: The only North American bird with a black body and white head.
Ostriches cannot fly but they can run extremely fast, hitting speeds of 43 mph (70 kph). In a fight they have a vicious kick that can kill a lion. They are the largest and heaviest birds, females weighing about 200 pounds (91 kg) and males about 250 pounds (113 kg).
What is the similarities of horse and ostrich?
Birds are the surviving descendants of dinosaurs. Their bone structures seem to show similarities. In addition many dinosaurs have been found to have feathers rather than scales. There are other similarities - warm blood, egg laying and nest building.
Is there any animal which lay eggs and also give milk?
Both the platypus and the echidna are egg-laying mammals. They belong to the group known as monotremes and, like all mammals, they feed their young on mothers' milk.
