Ostrich

Ostrich facts at a glance

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Built for running, not flying

The ostrich long ago traded flight for speed on the ground. Its two-toed feet, unique among birds, act like sprinter's spikes and let it reach 70 km/h (43 mph), the fastest running speed of any bird. Powerful legs also deliver a forward kick strong enough to injure a lion or a person. Its stubby wings are useless for flight but work as rudders and stabilisers, helping it change direction sharply at full pace.

Size and appearance

Standing up to 2.8 m tall and weighing between 63 and 130 kg, the ostrich dwarfs every other living bird. Males are boldly marked in black and white, while females and young are a muted grey-brown that blends into dry grassland. The long bare neck and enormous eyes, each larger than the brain, give the bird sweeping vision across open country. Those eyes are among the largest of any land vertebrate.

Diet and feeding

Ostriches are omnivores that feed mainly on plants, favouring seeds, shoots, leaves, flowers, and roots. They also take insects, small reptiles, and other invertebrates when available. Lacking teeth, an ostrich swallows pebbles and grit that collect in its gizzard to grind tough plant matter. It can go for long periods without drinking, taking most of its water from the vegetation it eats.

Breeding and eggs

Ostriches lay the largest eggs of any living bird, each weighing around 1.5 kg, though they are among the smallest eggs relative to the size of the parent. A dominant female and a male share a communal nest, a simple scrape in the ground, where several females may lay. The pair take turns incubating: the drab female sits by day and the black male by night, each camouflaged for the light. Chicks hatch after about six weeks and can run with the adults within days.

Social life and behaviour

Outside the breeding season ostriches gather in loose flocks, often mixing with grazing zebra and antelope that benefit from the bird's sharp eyesight and early alarm. When threatened, an ostrich usually runs rather than fights, though a cornered bird will lash out with its legs. The old belief that ostriches bury their heads in the sand is a myth; the impression comes from birds lowering their heads to the ground to turn eggs or feed. They rest with their necks flat to the earth, which from a distance can look like a buried head.

Conservation and human use

The ostrich is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with wild populations across sub-Saharan Africa and large numbers kept on farms worldwide. Domesticated ostriches are raised for their meat, leather, and decorative feathers, an industry that dates back more than a century. Wild numbers have contracted in parts of their former range through hunting and habitat loss, and one subspecies, the North African ostrich, has become rare. Overall the species remains widespread and secure.

Did you know? Ostrich facts

• The ostrich is the largest and heaviest living bird, standing up to 2.8 m tall.
• It is the fastest bird on land, running up to about 70 km/h.
• Ostriches lay the largest eggs of any living bird.
• They cannot fly, but their powerful legs deliver a dangerous kick.
• An ostrich's eye is larger than its brain.
• They do not bury their heads in sand — that is a myth.

Diet & feeding

Ostriches are omnivores eating mainly plants — seeds, shoots, and leaves — plus insects and small animals, swallowing grit to help grind food.

Adaptations

• Long, powerful legs enable high running speed and a formidable kick.
• Two-toed feet act like sprinting hooves for speed across open ground.
• Large eyes and height provide excellent long-distance vision over the plains.
• Loose feathers and bare skin help shed heat in hot climates.

Behaviour & ecology

• Ostriches live in groups and rely on speed and vigilance to evade predators.
• They defend themselves with powerful kicks rather than flight.
• Several females may lay in a communal nest tended by a dominant pair.
• They forage while walking across open savanna and semi-desert.

Communication

• Males give a deep, booming call during the breeding season.
• Visual displays of wings and neck feature in courtship and threat.
• Group vigilance and movement coordinate response to danger.

Habitat & range

Ostriches inhabit the savannas, grasslands, and semi-arid plains of Africa, favouring open country where they can see and outrun predators.

Ecological role

As large ground-dwelling omnivores, ostriches disperse seeds and, through their vigilance, often serve as early-warning sentinels for other savanna animals.

Conservation status of the Ostrich

Sources & references

This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Ostrich:

• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

  Conservation status (Least Concern) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Struthio camelus.

• BirdLife International (2018). Struthio camelus. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

  Status (Least Concern) and range.

• Billerman, S. M. et al. (eds.). Birds of the World. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

  Biology and behaviour.

• Animal Diversity Web — Struthio camelus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

  Life history, morphology, and range.

• Global Animal Guide editorial standards

  How we research, source, review, and update every guide for accuracy.