In our article we want to talk about, although not flying. The ostrich is a funny and unusual bird. Generally speaking, each breed is unique and has its own characteristics. Ostriches fascinate, first of all, because they are different from others. In our country, these beautiful birds can be seen rarely, and that is why it is so interesting to watch them.
What kind of bird?
It is believed that these special birds appeared on the planet 12 million years ago. Absolutely all types of ostriches belong to the subclass (flightless), they are also called running ones. Ostriches live in the warm countries of Australia and Africa, preferring semi-desert areas and savannas.
These special birds are completely different in behavior from their counterparts. An interesting fact is that, translated from Greek language the word "ostrich" means nothing more than "camel sparrow." Isn't it a funny comparison for such a person? How can one and the same creature at the same time resemble two completely different individuals? It’s probably not for nothing that people who hide from problems are called ostriches. After all, there is even such a popular expression: “Hide your head in the sand like an ostrich.” Do birds actually behave this way and what did they do to deserve such an unflattering comparison?
It turns out that in real life Ostriches don't hide their heads. In a moment of danger, the female may rub her head on the ground to be less noticeable. In this way she is trying to save her offspring. From the outside it may seem that the bird is sticking its head in the sand, but this is absolutely not the case. In animals wildlife quite a lot of enemies: lions, jackals, eagles, hyenas, snakes, birds of prey, lynxes.
Appearance
No other bird on earth can boast of such large sizes. The ostrich is undoubtedly the largest bird on the planet. But at the same time, such a strong and large creature cannot fly. Which, in principle, is not so surprising. The weight of an ostrich reaches 150 kilograms, and its height is 2.5 meters.
At first it may seem that the bird is rather awkward and awkward. But this is not true at all. The difference between this creature and all other birds is simply confusing. Ostriches have a large body, a small head, but at the same time a very long neck. Birds have very unusual eyes, which stand out on the head and are bordered by thick eyelashes. The legs of an ostrich are long and strong.
The bird's body is covered with slightly curly and loose feathers. Their color can be brown with white, black with white patterns (mainly in males). What distinguishes all types of ostriches from other birds is the complete absence of the so-called keel.
Types of ostriches
Ornithologists classify ostriches as running birds, which include four families: three-toed creatures, two-toed ones and cassowaries, as well as kiwis (small wingless ones).
Currently, several subspecies of African birds are distinguished: Massai, Barbary, Malay and Somali. All these types of ostriches still exist today.
But two more species once lived on earth, but are now considered extinct: the South African and the Arabian. All African representatives are of impressive size. It is difficult to find another bird with such parameters. The weight of an ostrich can reach one and a half centners (this applies to males), but females are more modest in size.
It is also worth remembering the rheas. This is the second species that is very often classified as ostriches. It includes two representatives: Darwin's rhea and the great rhea. These birds live in the Amazon basin and on the plateaus and plains of the South American mountains.
Representatives of the third order (cassowaries) live in New Guinea and Northern Australia. It includes two families: cassowaries (cassowary muruka and common cassowary) and emu.
But the latter type includes kiwi. They live in New Zealand and are even its symbol. Kiwis are very modest in size compared to other running birds.
African ostriches
The African ostrich, although it is the largest bird on earth, is deprived of the ability to fly. But nature has endowed him with the amazing ability to run incredibly fast.
The bird has one more feature that we mentioned - it is a small head, which gave rise to talk about the fact that ostriches have very poor mental abilities.
On my feet African ostrich there are only two fingers. A similar phenomenon cannot be found in other representatives of the avian world. The interesting fact is that these two fingers are very different. The larger one is more reminiscent of a hoof, while the smaller one is much less developed. However, this does not at all prevent you from running fast. In general, the ostrich is a strong bird; you should not get too close to it, as it can strike with its powerful paw. Adults can easily carry a person. The animal can also be considered a long-livers, since it can live up to 60-70 years.
Lifestyle
The ostrich is a polygamous animal. In nature, during the mating season, males are surrounded by a whole harem of females, among which there is the most important one. This period lasts from March to October. Over the entire season, the female can lay from 40 to 80 eggs. The ostrich egg is very large. The shell is very white on the outside, giving the impression that it is made of porcelain. In addition, it is also durable. from 1100 to 1800 grams.
An interesting fact is that all females of one ostrich lay eggs in one nest. The father of the family hatches his offspring with the female he chooses. An ostrich chick is born sighted and weighs about a kilogram. He moves quite well and within a day begins to independently obtain food for himself.
Features of birds
Birds have good eyesight and horizons. This is due to the peculiarities of their structure. The flexible and special arrangement of the eyes makes it possible to view large spaces. Birds are able to focus on objects located on long distances. This gives them and other animals on the pasture the opportunity to avoid danger.
In addition, the bird can run well, reaching speeds of up to 80 kilometers per hour. In the regions where the ostrich lives, in the wild it is surrounded by an incredible number of predators. Therefore, good eyesight and the ability to run quickly are excellent qualities that help avoid the claws of the enemy.
What does an ostrich eat?
Since animals live in hot climates, they cannot always eat well. That's why they are omnivores. Of course, the main food is plants. But ostriches can also eat the leftovers left by predators, insects, and reptiles. In terms of food, they are completely unpretentious and tolerate hunger quite steadfastly.
Nandu
The rhea lives in the mountains of South America. This bird is similar to an ostrich, but has a more modest size. The animal weighs about forty kilograms, and its height does not exceed one hundred and thirty centimeters. Externally, the rhea is not particularly beautiful. Its plumage is completely inconspicuous and sparse (it barely covers the body), and the feathers on the wings are not too lush. Rheas have powerful legs with three toes. Animals mainly feed on plants, tree shoots, and seeds.
During the breeding season, females lay from 13 to 30 eggs, each of them weighing no more than 700 grams. The male prepares a hole for the eggs and incubates them all himself and then takes care of the offspring.
There are two types of rhea in nature: common and northern. At the beginning of the twentieth century, these animals were quite numerous, but soon found themselves on the verge of destruction due to mass extermination. And the reason for this is delicious meat and collecting eggs. In natural conditions, rheas can be seen only in the most remote places. Only there they managed to survive. But rheas are quickly bred on farms and kept in zoos.
Emu
The emu slightly resembles a cassowary in appearance. The bird reaches 150-190 centimeters in length, and its weight ranges from 30-50 kilograms. The animal is capable of speeds of about 50 kilometers per hour. This is facilitated by the presence long legs, which enable birds to take steps up to 280 centimeters long.
Emus have absolutely no teeth, and in order to crush the food in their stomach, the birds swallow stones, glass and even pieces of metal. Animals not only have very strong and developed legs, but also excellent vision and hearing, which gives them the opportunity to detect predators earlier than they can attack.
Features of emu
Emus can have different plumage depending on where they live. The animal's feathers have a very special structure that prevents them from overheating. This allows birds to lead active life even in very hot periods. Emus generally tolerate temperature differences from -5 to +45 degrees very well. Female and male individuals do not have any special differences in appearance, but they make different sounds. Females usually scream louder than males. In the wild, birds live from 10 to 20 years.
Emus have small wings, a long light blue neck with gray-brown feathers that protect their skin from ultraviolet radiation. The birds' eyes are covered with nictitating membranes, protecting them from debris and dust in windy and arid deserts.
Emus are distributed throughout almost all of Australia, as well as on the island of Tasmania. The exceptions are dense forests, arid regions and large cities.
Animals feed on plant foods, such as the fruits of bushes and trees, plant leaves, grass, and roots. They usually feed in the morning. They often enter fields and eat grain crops. Emus can also eat insects. But animals drink quite rarely (once a day). If there is nearby large number water, they can drink several times a day.
Emus often become victims of animals and birds: foxes, dingoes, hawks and eagles. Foxes steal eggs, and birds of prey try to kill.
Emu breeding
During the mating season, females acquire a more beautiful shade of feathers. They are quite aggressive and often fight among themselves. They can fight intensely for a lone male.
Emu lay 10-20 eggs per season dark green with a very thick shell. Each of them weighs about a kilogram. Emus are also polygamous, and therefore several females lay eggs in one nest, after which the male incubates them. The hatched chicks weigh about half a kilogram, while their height is 12 centimeters. At a time when males are busy breeding offspring, they become incredibly aggressive, and therefore it is better not to disturb them.
In the Australian wild, birds are protected by law, but this is just a formality. In reality, many populations have long been on the verge of extinction. The emu is the symbol and pride of the Australian continent.
From history...
It is believed that ostriches appeared on the planet 12 million years ago. And the trade in the feathers of these animals dates back to the early Egyptian civilizations and goes back three thousand years. In some countries, even before the beginning of our era, animals were kept in captivity. IN Ancient Egypt Noble ladies rode ostriches to festive ceremonies. Animal feathers became in great demand at the beginning of the nineteenth century, which led to a significant reduction in the number of birds. In the middle of the century, a period of rapid development of ostrich farming began. The first farm in Africa appeared in 1838. Animals were bred solely for the purpose of obtaining valuable feathers. For example, in South Africa at that time, the export of feathers was in fourth place after the export of gold, wool and diamonds.
Gradually, ostriches began to be bred in captivity in other countries and on other continents: in the USA, Algeria, Egypt, Australia, Italy, Argentina, New Zealand. But during the period of two world wars, this type of business almost ceased to exist, and the number of farms decreased significantly.
Instead of an afterword
African ostriches, rheas and emus are classified in the zoological literature as suborders of running birds. However, as we have already mentioned, only the African ostrich, which is rightly considered the largest bird, can be classified as ostrich-like.
The world around us is full of unusual and outlandish animals. And one of them can be considered ostriches. You just can't help but like these cute and charming creatures with big eyes. Currently, even in our latitudes, ostriches are bred in households to obtain valuable meat, eggs, feathers, and simply as exotic pets.
The African ostrich is the only representative of this family. You can meet it in the wild, but it also breeds and grows well in captivity.
Features and habitat of the African ostrich
The ostrich is one of the largest birds on earth. African ostrich weight in adulthood it reaches 160 kg, and its height is slightly less than 3 meters. An ostrich's head is small in relation to its body, and its neck is long and flexible. The beak is straight and not hard. The mandible has a keratinized growth. The mouth ends right at the eyes. The eyes are bulging with many eyelashes.
The plumage of males is black with white feathers in the tail and at the ends of the wings. Females are colored gray with white feathers at the ends of the tail and wings. The head and neck of an ostrich have no feathers.
The ostrich lacks the ability to fly due to underdeveloped pectoral muscles and underdeveloped wings. Its feathers are curly and loose and do not create strong vane plates. But the ostrich's ability to run fast cannot be compared, even with the speed of a horse. The legs vary in length and strength.
Many people are interested in the question how many fingers does an African ostrich have?? African ostrich paw has two fingers, one of them is keratinized. It provides support when walking and running. The ostrich egg is distinguished by its large size. One such egg is equivalent to 24 chicken eggs.
African ostrich lives in savannah and desert areas beyond the forests of the equator. In Australia there are very African ostrich-like bird called . Previously, it was considered a relative of ostriches, but in lately began to be classified as a member of the Cassowary order.
The African ostrich has two fingers
This one is also huge: up to 2 meters tall and 50 kg in weight. African ostrich in the photo doesn't exactly look like a bird, but that's exactly what he is.
Character and lifestyle of the African ostrich
Ostriches love to be in company with and move around by following them. Due to their good eyesight and large growth, they are the first to notice and give a signal to other animals about approaching danger.
At this time, they begin to scream loudly and develop a running speed of more than 70 km per hour, and a stride length of 4 m. Small ostrich chicks, one month old, reach up to 50 km per hour. And even when turning, their speed does not decrease.
When mating season arrives, one black african ostrich covers a certain territory of several kilometers. The color of the neck and legs become bright. He does not allow males to enter his chosen place, but treats females kindly.
They gather in small groups of 3–5 individuals: one male and several females. During mating African ostrich performs an unusual dance. To do this, he spreads his wings, fluffs his feathers and kneels.
Then, throwing back his head and placing it on his back, he makes rubbing movements against his back. At this time, he moans loudly and hisses, attracting the attention of the female. Even the wings become brighter and rich color.
If the female likes the dance and the ostrich itself, she heads towards him, lowering her wings, and bows with her head. Crouching near him, she repeats his movements, attracting other females. This creates a harem, where one female will be the main one, and the rest will constantly change.
At this time, ostriches become very bold and aggressive. When a dangerous situation arises, they run towards the enemy without fear and rush into battle. They fight with their legs. The kick has a very powerful force and can kill to death. Therefore, not every predator decides to meet this bird.
There is a myth that ostriches hide their heads in the sand when they see danger. Actually this is not true. A female sitting on eggs during a dangerous situation puts her head and neck on the ground, trying to hide and be unnoticed. Ostriches do the same when meeting predators. And if you come close to them at this moment, they rise sharply and run away.
African ostrich nutrition
Ostriches are omnivorous birds. Their regular diet may include flowers, seeds, plants, rodents, small animals, and animal meat that has not been eaten by predators.
Since ostriches do not have teeth, for favorable digestion they swallow small stones, which help grind and grind food in the stomach. Ostriches are capable of not drinking water for a long time, since the bulk of the liquid is obtained from the plants they eat.
Reproduction and lifespan of African ostriches
The eggs of all females are laid in one nest, which the male independently tears out before laying, with a depth of 30 to 60 cm. In this way, up to 30 of them can be collected. IN northern Africa a little less (up to 20 pieces), and in East Africa up to 60.
One egg weighs up to 2 kg and reaches a length of more than 20 cm. African ostrich eggs have good strength, pale - yellow. The main female lays her eggs in the middle and does the incubation herself, driving away the other females.
One ostrich egg is equivalent to 20 chicken eggs
The duration of the incubation period is 40 days. The female does this all day, leaving for a while to eat or drive away small pests. At night, the male sits on the eggs.
The chick hatches from the egg in about one hour, breaking the shell first with its beak and then with the back of its head. This causes abrasions and hematomas to form on the head, which heal very quickly.
The female breaks the unhatched spoiled eggs so that insects can flock to them and the chicks can feed. The chicks have vision and fluff on their bodies, and are also capable of independent movement. One baby ostrich weighs about one kg, and by the age of four months they reach up to 20 kg.
The photo shows an African ostrich nest
As soon as the chicks are born, they leave the nest and, together with their father, go in search of food. At first, the skin of the chicks is covered with small bristles. Plumage development occurs very slowly.
Only by the age of two do males develop black feathers, and before that, in their own way appearance they resemble females. The ability to reproduce appears in the third year of life. The maximum life expectancy is 75 years, and on average they live 30 – 40 years.
In childhood, some chicks come together and do not separate throughout their lives. If these chicks are with different families, then their parents begin to fight among themselves for them. And those who were able to win become parents for someone else’s chick and raise them.
In the photo there is an ostrich chick
Breeding African ostriches happens in two ways:
- The female lays eggs and hatches offspring. Eggs, young animals, as well as adult offspring are allowed for sale.
- Purchase of young animals for fattening and subsequent sale of adult offspring for slaughter.
Ostrich breeding is carried out in order to obtain: meat, skin, egg products, including shells, feathers and claws. It is necessary to breed ostriches in mild climate zones.
In the summer, they need to be kept in pens equipped with paddocks, and in winter in warm rooms with no drafts. Required condition the contents should be bedding in the form of hay, straw or sawdust.
Walking areas should have nearby trees where ostriches can hide from the scorching sun. It is very important to observe sanitary and hygienic conditions when breeding ostriches. To find out African ostrich price Let's look at the price list of one of the poultry farming organizations:
- chick, one day old - 7 thousand rubles;
- chick, up to 1 month old - 10 thousand rubles;
- ostrich, 2 months old – 12 thousand rubles;
- ostrich, 6 months old – 18 thousand rubles;
- ostriches 10 – 12 months – 25 thousand rubles;
- ostrich, 2 years old – 45 thousand rubles;
- ostrich, 3 years old – 60 thousand rubles;
- family, aged 4 to 5 years – 200 thousand rubles.
Ostriches are amazing birds of our planet. According to zoological taxonomy, they are classified as running birds, also called flat-chested or ratite. They have a small head on a long neck, but their wings are underdeveloped and have no flight feathers. The article discusses their habitats, and also provides information about how much an ostrich weighs, how tall it is, and what speed it develops when running.
Although the ostrich is considered a bird, it cannot fly. Eat various types these birds, but they all live in warm climates such as Australia and Africa. These birds prefer savannas or semi-desert areas.
African
The most big birds on Earth - African ostriches. They are widespread throughout Africa. They live mainly in dry open areas with sandy, sometimes rocky soil. In order to grind food in the stomach, they swallow small pebbles that are found on the ground.
Ostriches are among the best runners. When running, their speed can reach 50 kilometers per hour. The stride length due to height is approximately 3 meters. Their wings are undeveloped, as they are flightless birds. They have 2 toes on their feet, which they can use as weapons. They lead a herd lifestyle, the number of individuals in a herd can be from 10 to 50. Males are 3 meters tall and weigh about 150 kilograms.
Emu (Australian)
Australian emus are the second largest birds living in the world after African ostriches. Their homeland is the shrubby and grassy areas of Northern and Southwestern Australia. The number of emus in Australia decreased sharply when people from Europe arrived in the country. This is due to shooting and hunting them. Therefore, since 1865, measures have been taken to conserve Emu.
Emus eat a variety of foods, most often depending on the time of year. In summer, birds eat grass, leaves, fruits, and in winter, various insects. Sometimes, out of curiosity, Emu can swallow keys, coins, and jar lids. They happily eat grain crops, so in some areas of Australia the state allows them to be shot.
Emu weight can reach 150 kg, and height – 150 cm. It has 3 toes on its feet. The feathers have matte brown shades. The head is located in the center of the back and neck, it may be a little darker, and the lower body, on the contrary, is lighter. Outwardly, it is impossible to distinguish a female from a male. To determine sex, you need to raise the tail, press down the cloaca and see if the genital organ appears. Females don't have this. Emus can run at speeds of up to 51 km/h. In addition, birds are excellent swimmers. The female lays up to 25 eggs in the nest, which are incubated by the male.
Gorayo (Somali)
Gorayo ostriches are native to Somalia. These birds are the largest subspecies of African ostriches. Some scientists distinguish Gorayo as separate species, since the study of these birds revealed reproductive isolation from other species of ostriches.
An adult Gorayo is 2.5 m tall. Its weight can be from 105 to 175 kg. Males are always smaller and thinner than females. Distinctive features of the family are long eyelashes, large eyes, bare ears, a flat, straight beak and a well-defined mouth. There are spurs on the wings, and under the beak there is a horny claw.
The plumage of females and males is different: the color of the feathers of males is gray with shades of blue on the neck, while those of females are brown.
Various plants are considered traditional food for Gorayo, but not only herbs, but also fruits, leaves, tree branches and shrubs. However, such nutrition does not prevent birds from sometimes eating various rodents, insects and small animals. Gorayo agrees to eat whatever he can eat whole. It happens that he wanders into deserted places where he is unable to find anything edible. In such conditions, he can easily do without water or food for a couple of days.
Birds live in flocks with 5 females and 1 male. They can live with other animals, such as zebras. The inhabitants of the steppes are often close to them in order to notify each other of the onset of danger.
Since ostriches have good eyesight, height and a long neck, they are the first to see the enemy and run away. Other animals, observing such a reaction, try to escape on their own or run after them.
Up to a dozen chicks can appear in an ostrich nest at one time. It takes 50 days for a chick to emerge from an egg. During this period, the female and male periodically change while incubating the eggs. What is the weight of the chick at birth? He is born weighing more than 1 kg, but after 4 months the weight increases to 20 kg and his height increases significantly. In the second month of life, young ostrich chicks develop plumage on their body and head. Distinctive features of Gorayo: black and brown feathers, which are noticeable only a year after birth.
Useful facts
By eating locusts, ostriches can gain a lot of weight, which reduces their running speed. Asphodyl roots, in the absence of water, can serve as a thirst quencher for them. Ostriches can drink not only fresh water, but also salt water, but they prefer fresh water.
Sometimes when you look at a feathered creature as large as an ostrich, a question arises. Is an ostrich an animal or a bird? In favor of both opinions, you will find arguments in this article and decide for yourself whether the ostrich is a bird or an animal.
There is such a stable concept as animals. Back in ancient Greece, in the time of Aristotle, animals were allocated to a separate biological kingdom, and all living organisms living on Earth, including humans and the aforementioned birds, fall under this category.
From this point of view, we can safely call the ostrich an animal, but this will be too general a concept. Of course, the animal kingdom is divided into species and subspecies. Usually in everyday life, animals only mean vertebrate mammals.
In modern science, animals mean all multicellular creatures that live on our planet. Being a multicellular representative of the fauna, the ostrich can be called an animal.
This is purely theoretical, let's list some observations that prove that they are animals, such as domestic ones:
- These large birds are not afraid to attack predators that threaten their offspring. They can rush at a hyena without fear or doubt and protect their nest.
- These birds can often graze with ungulates without fear of them, and feeling at ease. They are frequent visitors to zebra herds. But for example, they do not communicate with other birds. Does this make them animals?!
- Another argument is that animals have good eyesight and hearing. Other birds, with the exception of aces of prey - eagles and hawks, have not very good vision. They can see very far and hear well, just like wild animals.
- They can't fly at all. They have a pair of poorly developed wings that end in two fingers with claws, suggesting that they are not wings, but rather poorly developed paws.
- They run very fast. At short distances, their speed reaches 96 km/h, which is almost like that of predatory cats - cheetahs.
- These long-necked animals can be saddled and ridden like a horse.
In addition to these listed points, and general concept animals, this is, perhaps, all the arguments in favor of the fact that the ostrich is an animal. Let's go ahead and get into the details. Let's find out if this long-nose can call himself a bird?
Or maybe it's still a bird?
Above we have given several arguments in favor of the fact that they are animals and belong to the animal kingdom; some of their habits are similar to herbivorous mammals. This is all at first glance, and the attitude towards the term animals is too general. Now we will take a more detailed look at who this individual really is and give arguments in favor of the fact that this is not an animal in its everyday understanding.
What is an ostrich
Ostriches are huge birds and their size immediately catches your eye. Their growth can reach 2.7 meters in height. With such dimensions, they can stand on par with a large riding horse. The average weight of these birds can reach 75 kg, and the largest males have a weight of 131 kg.
Intelligence and behavior
Despite its enormous size, this representative of the fauna has a very small brain. In fact, his brain is the size of walnut. Such small brain indicates very poor intelligence. Indeed, observations of them show that they are not very smart, and very often hyenas, hunting for food, simply deceive the male guarding the clutch and steal the eggs.
style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start">The ostrich is a stupid creature, but very careful. When they graze on the African plains, they constantly raise their heads and scan the area with their keen eyes. Their vision is very good and they can see approaching danger from a kilometer away.
Ostrich in captivity
The systematic extermination of these birds in different centuries, became the reason that in recent years, people began by breeding birds in captivity. At the beginning of this century, in South America The first ostrich farm appeared, then they appeared on almost all continents. Given that these birds are very hardy, they have become very popular among breeders.
Some adapted them for riding. However, products produced by ostriches, namely meat and eggs, have become more widespread. The meat is often supplied to exotic restaurants and is in great demand. Thanks to the fact that people breed them in captivity, the population has stopped declining and, on the contrary, has begun to grow.
Evidence and facts
All sources, whether encyclopedias or just scientific articles, they claim that an ostrich is a bird. Indeed, they belong to the class of birds. The ostrich is a huge flightless bird with two underdeveloped wings. Like all flightless birds, they have very weak pectoral muscles, but very strong legs, with the help of which he develops crazy speed.
Video "Ostriches in the wild"
In this video, you can watch ostriches in their natural environment, and also learn a little more information about who they are.
The African ostrich (Struthio сamelus) is a ratite and flightless bird belonging to the order Ostriformes and the genus Ostrich. The scientific name of such chordates is translated from Greek as “camel sparrow”.
Description of the ostrich
African ostriches are currently the only representatives of the Ostrich family. The largest flightless bird is found in the wild, but also breeds well in captivity, so it has become extremely popular on numerous ostrich farms.
Appearance
African ostriches are the largest of all modern birds. The maximum height of an adult reaches 2.7 m, with a body weight of up to 155-156 kg. Ostriches have a dense build, a long neck and a small, flattened head. The bird's rather soft beak is straight and flat, with a peculiar horny “claw” in the area of the beak.
The eyes are quite large in size, with thick and relatively long eyelashes, which are located only on upper eyelid. The bird's vision is well developed. The external auditory openings are very noticeable on the head, due to the weak plumage, and in their shape they resemble small and neat ears.
This is interesting! Characteristic feature Representatives of the African Ostrich species are characterized by the absolute absence of a keel, as well as underdeveloped muscles in the chest area. The skeleton of a flightless bird, with the exception of the femur, is not pneumatic.
The wings of the African ostrich are underdeveloped, with a pair of relatively large fingers ending in spurs or claws. The hind limbs of the flightless bird are strong and long, having two fingers. One of the fingers ends in a kind of horny hoof, on which the ostrich rests while running.
African ostriches have loose and curly, rather lush plumage. Feathers are distributed more or less evenly over the entire surface of the body, and pterilia are completely absent. The structure of feathers is primitive:
- beards practically unconnected with each other;
- lack of formation of dense lamellar webs.
Important! The ostrich does not have a crop, and the neck area is incredibly extensible, which allows the bird to swallow quite large prey whole.
The head region, hips and neck of a flightless bird have no feathers. On the chest of the ostrich there is also a bare leathery area or the so-called “chest callus”, which serves as a support for the bird in a lying position. The adult male has a basic black plumage, as well as a white tail and wings. Females are noticeably smaller than males, and are characterized by a uniform, dim coloration, which is represented by grayish-brown tones, dirty white feathers on the wings and tail.
Lifestyle
Ostriches prefer to be in a mutually beneficial community with zebras and antelopes, so following such animals, flightless birds easily migrate. Thanks to good eyesight and fairly large growth, representatives of all subspecies of ostriches are the very first to notice natural enemies, and very quickly give a signal of approaching danger to other animals.
Frightened representatives of the Ostrich family scream loudly and are capable of running at speeds of up to 65-70 km or even more. At the same time, the step length of an adult bird is 4.0 m. Small ostrich chicks, already at the age of one month, easily reach speeds of up to 45-50 km per hour, without reducing it even during sharp turns.
Outside of the mating season, African ostriches tend to stay in fairly small flocks or so-called “families”, consisting of one adult male, several chicks and four or five females.
This is interesting! The widely held belief that when very frightened, ostriches bury their heads in the sand is erroneous. In reality, the large bird simply lowers its head to the ground to ingest gravel or sand to aid its digestive process.
Ostriches are active mainly at dusk, and in too much midday heat and at night, such birds most often rest. Night sleep of representatives of the African ostrich subspecies includes short periods deep sleep, during which birds lie on the ground and stretch their necks, as well as long periods of so-called half-asleep, accompanied by a sitting posture with eyes closed and neck raised high.
Hibernation
African ostriches are able to perfectly withstand the winter period in the central zone of our country, which is due to their rather lush plumage and innate excellent health. When kept in captivity, special insulated poultry houses are built for such birds, and the young animals born in winter are more hardened and stronger than birds raised in the summer.
Subspecies of ostrich
The African ostrich is represented by the North African, Masai, southern and Somali subspecies, as well as an extinct subspecies: the Syrian, or Arabian, or Aleppo ostrich (Struthio сamelus syriacus).
Important! A flock of ostriches is characterized by the absence of a constant and stable composition, but is characterized by a strict hierarchy, therefore, individuals of the highest rank always hold their neck and tail vertically, and weaker birds - in an inclined position.
Common ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus)
This subspecies is distinguished by the presence of a noticeable bald spot on the head, and is the largest to date. The maximum height of a mature bird reaches 2.73-2.74 m, with a weight of up to 155-156 kg. The ostrich's limbs and neck area have an intense red coloration. The eggshells are covered with thin rays of pores, forming a pattern reminiscent of a star.
Somali ostrich (Struthio camelus molybdophanes)
Based on mitochondrial DNA studies, this subspecies is often considered a separate species. Males have the same baldness in the head area as all representatives of ordinary ostriches, but the neck and limbs are characterized by the presence of bluish-grayish skin. Female Somali ostriches have especially bright brownish feathers.
Masai ostrich (Struthio camelus massaicus)
A not very common inhabitant of the territory of East Africa does not have significant differences from other representatives of the African ostrich, but the neck and limbs during the breeding season acquire a very bright and intense red color. Outside of this season, the birds have a not too noticeable pink color.
Southern ostrich (Struthio camelus australis)
One of the subspecies of the African ostrich. This flightless bird is characterized by a fairly large size, and is also distinguished by the grayish color of the plumage on the neck and limbs. Sexually mature females of this subspecies are noticeably smaller than adult males.
Syrian ostrich (Struthiocamelussyriacus)
A subspecies of African ostrich that became extinct in the mid-twentieth century. Previously, this subspecies was quite common in the northeastern part of African countries. A related subspecies of the Syrian ostrich is considered to be the common ostrich, which was chosen for the purpose of repopulating the territory Saudi Arabia. Syrian ostriches were found in desert areas of Saudi Arabia.
Range, habitats
Previously, the common or North African ostrich lived over a large area that covered the northern and western parts of the African continent. The bird was found from Uganda to Ethiopia, from Algeria to Egypt, covering the territory of many West African countries, including Senegal and Mauritania.
Today, the habitat of this subspecies has noticeably decreased, so now ordinary ostriches live only in some African countries, including Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic and Senegal.
The Somali ostrich lives in southern Ethiopia, northeastern Kenya, and also in Somalia, where local population nicknamed the bird "gorayo". This subspecies prefers pair or single living. Masai ostriches are found in southern Kenya, eastern Tanzania, as well as Ethiopia and southern Somalia. The habitat of the southern subspecies of the African ostrich is located in the southwestern region of Africa. Southern ostriches are found in Namibia and Zambia, and are common in Zimbabwe, as well as Botswana and Angola. This subspecies lives south of the Kunene and Zambezi rivers.
Natural enemies
Ostrich eggs are preyed upon by many predators, including jackals, adult hyenas and scavenger birds.. For example, vultures use their beaks to grab a large and sharp stone, which they throw on top of an ostrich egg several times, causing the shell to crack.
Immature, recently hatched chicks are also often attacked by lions, leopards and cheetahs. As numerous observations show, the greatest natural losses in the African ostrich population are observed exclusively during the period of incubation of eggs, as well as during the raising of young animals.
This is interesting! There are very well known and even documented cases in which a defending adult ostrich, with a single powerful blow of its leg, inflicted a fatal wound on such large predators as lions.
However, one should not think that ostriches are too timid birds. Adults are strong and can be quite aggressive, so they are quite capable of standing up, if necessary, not only for themselves and their fellows, but also to easily protect their offspring. Angry ostriches, without hesitation, can attack people who encroach on the protected territory.
Ostrich diet
The usual diet of ostriches is represented by vegetation in the form of all kinds of shoots, flowers, seeds or fruits. On occasion, the flightless bird can also eat some small animals, including insects such as locusts, reptiles or rodents. Adults sometimes feed on the leftovers from meals of terrestrial or flying predators. Young ostriches prefer to eat exclusively food of animal origin.
Among other things, the ostrich is an incredibly hardy bird, so it can easily survive for a long time without drinking water. In this case, the body receives a sufficient amount of moisture from the vegetation it eats. However, ostriches belong to the category of water-loving birds, so they are very willing to swim on occasion.
Reproduction and offspring
With the onset of the mating season, the African ostrich is able to capture a certain territory, the total area of which is several kilometers. During this period, the coloring of the bird's legs and neck becomes very bright. Males are not allowed into the protected territory, but the approach of females by such a “guard” is very welcome.
Ostriches reach puberty at the age three years . During the period of competition for possession of a mature female, adult male ostriches make very original hissing or characteristic trumpet sounds. After a significant amount of air has been drawn into the bird's crop, the male pushes it quite sharply towards the esophagus, which causes the formation of a uterine roar, a bit like a lion's roar.
Ostriches are classified as polygamous birds, so dominant males mate with all females in the harem. However, pairs only form with a dominant female, which is very important for hatching offspring. The mating process ends with digging a nest in the sand, the depth of which is 30-60 cm. All females lay eggs in such a nest equipped by the male.
This is interesting! The average egg length varies between 15-21 cm with a width of 12-13 cm and a maximum weight of no more than 1.5-2.0 kg. The average thickness of an egg shell is 0.5-0.6 mm, and its texture can vary from a shiny surface with gloss to a matte type with pores.
The incubation period averages 35-45 days. At night, the clutch is incubated exclusively by male African ostriches, and during the day, alternate duty is carried out by females, who are characterized by a protective coloration that blends with the desert landscape.
Sometimes in daytime The masonry is left completely unattended by adult birds, and is warmed only by natural solar heat. In populations with too many females, the nest ends up with huge amount eggs, some of which are not fully incubated and are therefore discarded.
About an hour before the chicks are born, the ostrich chicks begin to open the egg shell from the inside, resting their outstretched limbs on it and methodically hammering with their beaks until a small hole is formed. After several such holes have been made, the chick hits them with great force with the back of its head.
This is why almost all newborn ostrich chicks often have significant hematomas in the head area. After the chicks are born, all non-viable eggs are mercilessly destroyed by adult ostriches, and the flying flies serve as excellent food for newborn ostrich chicks.
A newborn ostrich is sighted, well developed, covered with light down. The average weight of such a chick is approximately 1.1-1.2 kg. Already on the second day after birth, ostrich chicks leave the nest and go with their parents in search of food. During the first two months, the chicks are covered with black and yellowish bristles, and the parietal region is brick-colored.
This is interesting! The active breeding season of ostriches inhabiting humid areas lasts from June to mid-October, and birds living in desert areas are able to breed throughout the year.
Over time, all ostrich chicks become covered with real, lush plumage with a color characteristic of the subspecies. Males and females fight with each other, winning the right to further care for the brood, which is due to the polygamy of such birds. Female representatives of the African ostrich subspecies maintain their productivity for a quarter of a century, and males for about forty years.