Struthio camelus
The ostrich is the world largest bird and is incapable of flight. A large adult can weigh up to 150 kg (330 pounds)
Ostriches do dot stick their heads in holes in the ground. In the presence of danger they sometimes lay their necks flat on the ground to be less visible. At a distance an ostrich in this position may have the appearance of their head in the ground.
These large birds have very long and powerful legs capable of reaching top running speeds of up to 70 km/h (43 mph). At full speed they can cover 3 to 5 meters (9 to 16ft) in a stride!
Their feet are equipped with 3 - 4 inch long talons which are used for gripping the ground while running. They also use their legs to defend themselves from predators and are capable of killing a lion with one solid kick.
Ostriches are omnivores feeding mainly on grasses, leaves, seeds, insects snakes and lizards. To help with the digestion of food ostriches swallow stones which are used to grind the food down in their gizzards. An adult can have up to (2.2 pounds) 1 kg of stones in its gizzard!
The ostrich is different to all other birds in the world in that it urinates and defecates separately. All other birds have a cloaca whereby urine and faces is excreted together - lovely conversation :)
The average ostrich egg is equivalent to roughly 22 medium sized chicken eggs! It can take up to 2 hours to properly boil an ostrich egg.
The eggs which are laid in a nest on the ground are look after by both the male and female. The female with her mottled brown colour looks after the eggs during the day time as she blends perfectly in with her surroundings while the male with his black colouration looks after the eggs at night.
Ostriches have very large eyes with very keen eyesight. The eye of an ostrich is bigger that its brain.
Ostrich meat has less than 2% fat. The average cattle has on average 11% fat making ostrich meat a much healthier choice.
These large birds live comfortably in arid regions and can live without drinking any water as they will get moisture from the grasses and plants that they eat.
The collective noun for a group of ostriches is a 'FLOCK' or 'WOBBLE'.
