African ostrich. Lifestyle and habitat of the African ostrich. Natural habitat of ostriches. On which continents does the world's largest bird live?

Ostrich - the most large bird on Earth, so it is well known to most people. Previously, other closely related species of birds, rhea and emu, were also classified as ostriches, but modern taxonomists distinguish them into separate orders, therefore, with scientific point of view, there is now only one species of true ostrich - the African ostrich. Nanda and emu retained the old names of the American and Australian ostriches, although they do not correspond to the modern systematic position of these species.

African ostrich.

Huge size - that's what first catches your eye when looking at an ostrich, because this bird is not inferior in height to a large horse. The height of an ostrich from the tips of its paws to the top of its head is 1.8-2.7 m, its average weight is 50-75 kg, but the heaviest males can weigh up to 131 kg! Of course, most of the height of the bird falls on long legs and neck, but the head of an ostrich, on the contrary, is very small compared to the size of the body. Even smaller is the brain, which in ostriches does not exceed the size of a walnut. Such small size brain causes low level intelligence of these birds and indicates their primitiveness.

African ostrich female.

In addition, in the external and internal structure ostrich enough and other primitive features. For example, feathers in ostriches grow evenly throughout the body, while in most birds they are arranged along special lines - pterylia. This arrangement of feathers is also found in nandu, emus, cassowaries, kiwis and penguins. The feathers themselves do not have a structured web, the secondary barbs of the feather do not overlap each other, but look feathered. Ostriches do not have a keel of the sternum, since their pectoral muscles are relatively poorly developed, so ostriches are completely incapable of flying. But the legs of an ostrich are excellently adapted to running. Firstly, the long paws have powerful muscles, and secondly, the ostrich has only two fingers on its paws - one huge, like a whole foot and armed with a claw, and the second is smaller and without a claw. The second finger is not a reference, but only helps to maintain balance and improves traction while running.

Ostriches are the only birds in the world that have only two fingers.

Another unique but little-known feature of ostriches is the separate excretion of feces and urine from the body. As you know, in all birds, urine and feces are excreted simultaneously in the form of semi-liquid droppings. But in ostriches, both substances are excreted separately, these are the only birds in the world that have a bladder. Ostriches do not have a goiter, but their neck is very extensible and they can swallow quite large prey whole. The eyesight of these birds is excellent. External auditory openings clearly appear on the weakly feathered head and even resemble small ears in their shape.

The most feathered in ostriches are the body, tail and wings, neck, head and upper legs are covered with short fluff and may look almost naked. The lower part of the legs is covered with large scales. African ostriches have a pronounced sexual dimorphism: males are larger and have a black color, the ends of the feathers on the wings and tail are white, females are gray-brown and smaller. In addition, different subspecies of the African ostrich may differ in the color of the beak and paws, in some subspecies they are sandy gray, in others they may have a bright pink border or be completely red.

Males of the Somali subspecies of the African ostrich have a pink beak and paws.

The habitat of the ostrich covers almost all of Africa; this bird is not found only in North Africa and the Sahara. In the old days, ostriches were found even in the regions of Asia adjacent to the African continent - on the Arabian Peninsula and in Syria. Ostriches are inhabitants of open plains, they inhabit grassy savannahs, dry woodlands and semi-deserts. They avoid dense thickets, swampy plains and deserts with quicksand, since they cannot develop there high speed running. Ostriches are sedentary, more often found in small groups, in exceptional cases they can form flocks of up to 50 individuals, and often graze along with zebras and various types of antelopes. The flock does not have a permanent composition, but a strict hierarchy reigns in it. Birds of the highest rank hold the tail and neck vertically, weaker individuals - obliquely.

A flock of ostriches on a farm.

Ostriches are active mainly at dusk, in strong midday heat and at night they rest. The ostrich's nocturnal sleep consists of short periods of deep sleep, when the bird lies on the ground with its neck extended, and long periods of semi-drowsiness, when it sits with its neck up and eyes closed.

The ostrich is a stupid bird, but very cautious. During feeding, ostriches often raise their heads and look around with a keen eye. They can see a moving object on the smooth surface of the plain from a kilometer away. If danger is suspected, the ostrich tries to leave in advance, preventing it from approaching the predator. Therefore, the behavior of ostriches is often followed by other herbivores, which are not so vigilant and rely more on the sense of smell. If necessary, an ostrich can run at a speed of 70 km / h, that is, it freely overtakes a horse, in exceptional cases an ostrich can accelerate to 80-90 km / h (in a short distance). While running, the ostrich can make sharp turns without slowing down, and also suddenly lie down on the ground. In ancient times, the ancient Greek scholar Pliny the Elder wrote that ostriches hide their heads in the bushes, believing that they will not be noticed. There is no truth in this statement, but it took root and eventually transformed into a belief that ostriches bury their heads in the sand in case of danger. In fact, ostriches do not show any reactions similar to this statement.

It should be noted that ostriches show caution only during the non-breeding period. During incubation of masonry and caring for offspring, they turn into very bold and aggressive birds. During this period of time, there can be no question of hiding from danger. The ostrich reacts instantly to any moving object and goes across it. First, the bird opens its wings and tries to scare the enemy, if this does not help, then the ostrich rushes at the enemy and tramples him underfoot. With a paw strike, a male ostrich can break the skull of a lion, add to this the enormous speed that the bird develops as naturally as when escaping from the enemy. Not a single African animal dares to engage in open combat with an ostrich, but some take advantage of the bird's short-sightedness. During a group attack, hyenas and jackals distract the attention of the ostrich, and while he scares off some aggressors, their accomplices often manage to come in from the rear and steal an egg from the nest.

A female ostrich in a threatening posture.

Ostriches feed mainly plant food, but they can rather be called omnivores. Along with grass, leaves and fruits, they can eat insects, small lizards, turtles and even birds and animals. Interestingly, these birds prefer to pick up food from the ground, and rarely pluck branches. Ostriches swallow prey whole, including hard fruits. Also, these birds often swallow pebbles that help grind food; in an adult bird, up to 1 kg of pebbles can accumulate in the stomach. For this reason, in captivity, ostriches like to try everything “on the tooth” and often swallow inedible objects, such as buttons, coins, nails. Ostriches can go without water for a long time, but on occasion they willingly drink and bathe.

The ostrich was going to dine on a newborn turtle.

The breeding season for ostriches living in humid areas lasts from June to October. Ostriches living in the desert breed all year round. During this period, herds of ostriches break up, and males occupy areas that are carefully guarded from competitors. Seeing an opponent, the ostrich rushes to cut him and strives to kick, the female ostrich accepts favorably. To attract their attention, the ostrich can make a roar, driving air through the throat. When the female approaches, the ostrich begins to lek, for this he spreads his wings, the span of which can reach 2 m. The male sits on his paws, alternately flaps his wings and bows his head to one shoulder, then to the other.

Current ostrich.

Look at various forms mating behavior of ostriches:

• a strong male chases a weaker opponent ;

Ostriches are polygamous birds, so each male strives to gather more darlings around him and mates with all females. However, in the ostrich harem, one female always occupies a leading position and can linger near the male until the end of nesting, while the rest are removed. The male digs a hole in the ground with his paws, in which the females alternately lay their eggs. From the first moment to the end of incubation, all worries about the offspring fall on the male. While he is incubating the first eggs, the females literally lay eggs in front of him, which he carefully rolls under him. Each female lays 7-9 eggs, and in total there are 15-25 of them in the nest. In places of mass hunting for ostriches, there is a shortage of males (since it is their feathers that are valued above all), so up to 50 eggs can accumulate in nests. The probability of survival of such a clutch is negligible, since the male cannot cover all the eggs with his body and they remain unincubated.

Male and female African ostrich at the nest.

Incubation lasts 1.5 months, only the male incubates, the dominant female may be nearby, but does not take part in incubation. It should be noted that the male sits on the nest mainly at night, and during the day leaves the clutch to the will of the sun to feed. It is at this point that the ostrich's nest is vulnerable to hyenas, jackals and vultures that hunt for eggs.

Ostrich eggs are both the largest and ... the smallest in the world. In terms of absolute size, ostrich eggs, weighing 1.5-2 kg, are the largest among all birds, but relative to the body size of an adult bird, they are the smallest. Ostrich eggs have almost spherical shape(15 cm long, 13 cm wide) and a white glossy shell. Egg shells are very thick and strong and can support the weight of an adult. But the same shell is a serious test for ostrich chicks: in order to hatch, the chick hammers the shell for several hours, making a small hole, and then expands it, resting its head against the arch of the egg.

African ostrich egg laying.

Incubation lasts 6 weeks, ostriches hatched with such difficulty from the first minutes of life can follow their father and look for food on their own. Interestingly, the ostrich often breaks the eggs remaining in the nest with their feet, the smell of rotten eggs attracts flies, which are pecked by ostriches. In general, ostrich chicks, unlike adult birds, feed only on animal food, mainly insects. Newborn ostriches are covered with small bristle-like feathers and have a striped yellow-brown color, they grow quickly and can soon reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. Despite this, the chicks are vulnerable to predators, only 15% of the chicks live up to a year.

African ostrich chicks.

Male ostriches are exemplary parents, they lead the young, protect them from predators and protect them from the scorching sun, spreading their wings, in the shade of which the chicks hide. The ostrich chicks are very friendly and follow each other in a dense flock, when two families meet, the ostriches unite in one group and in the future they are no longer separated. This leads to conflicts between the parents, each of the males considers the babies to be his own, and a fight ensues between them for the right to fulfill parental duties. The winner takes the whole group with him and does not divide the chicks into adopted children and his own. Ostrich chicks put on their adult outfit at the age of two, and reach puberty by 3-4 years. Ostriches live an average of 30-40 years, in captivity they can live up to 50.

In nature, ostriches have few enemies, the greatest losses in the population are observed during the incubation of eggs and the rearing of young. In addition to hyenas, jackals and vultures hunting for eggs, lions, cheetahs and leopards can attack chicks. Adult ostriches fall into the clutches of predators only if they managed to ambush the bird and attack from behind.

Three cheetahs killed an ostrich.

Even in ancient times, ostriches were hunted for their feathers. Since ostrich feathers do not have a decorated fan, they are soft to the touch and sway beautifully in the wind, so they were used to make plumes of warriors, fans, and since the Middle Ages - to make fans and decorate women's hats. The demand for feathers peaked in the 18th century, when ostriches were exterminated for large territories, and the number of the Arabian subspecies was undermined so much that by 1966 it was completely extinct.

The widespread extermination of the African ostrich has prompted people to start breeding these birds in captivity. The first ostrich farm appeared in the 19th century in South America, and then ostriches began to be bred in Africa, North America, Southern Europe. In captivity, these birds are very unpretentious and hardy. Some farmers even taught ostriches to carry a rider (this bird can withstand the weight of a person freely) and walk in a harness, but these experiments were not widespread. Aggressive during the breeding season and difficult to train, the ostrich is not of interest as a draft force. On modern ostrich farms, more and more applications are being made for products obtained from these birds. Now ostrich meat and eggs are often supplied to restaurants with exotic cuisine. Ostrich meat is leaner and tougher than any other poultry, and tastes like beef. Eggs have become a favorite material for crafts and artistic carvings, candlesticks and souvenirs are made from them. The demand for ostrich feathers in our time is not so great, but the strong skin of an ostrich is very much appreciated. After dressing, a material with a unique texture is obtained, so ostrich leather belongs to the elite grades of raw materials. Thanks to captive breeding, the population of wild ostriches is not threatened in our time.

3-year-old giraffe Bia and 10-year-old ostrich Wilma made friends at the Tampa Zoo (USA).

African ostrich(lat. Struthio camelus) is a keelless flightless bird, the only representative of the ostrich family (Struthinodae).

Its scientific name in Greek means " camel sparrow».

The ostrich is the only modern bird that has a bladder.

common feature

The African ostrich is the largest modern birds bird, his height reaches 270 cm; it weighs up to 175 kg. "A very principled bird" - the ostrich has a dense physique, a long neck and a small flattened head. The beak is straight, thin, with a horny "claw" on the mandible, quite soft. The eyes are huge - the largest among land animals, with thick cilia on the upper eyelid. The mouth opening reaches the eyes.

Ostriches are flightless birds. For their typical complete absence and underdeveloped pectoral muscles; the skeleton is not pneumatic, except for the femurs. The wings of ostriches are underdeveloped; two fingers on them end with claws or spurs. The hind limbs are long and strong, with only 2 fingers. One of the fingers ends with a semblance of a horn - the bird leans on it when running. When running, an ostrich is able to reach speeds of up to 60-70 km / h.

The plumage of an ostrich is loose and curly. Feathers grow over the entire body more or less moderately, so that pterylia are also absent. The structure of the feather is primitive: the beards are practically not linked together, therefore the feather does not appear dense plates-fans. The head, neck and hips are not feathered. There is also a bare patch of skin on the chest, the pectoral callus, on which the ostrich rests when it lies down. The plumage color of an adult male is black, and the feathers of the tail and wings are snow-white. The female ostrich is smaller than the male and is monotonously colored - in grayish-brown tones; wing and tail feathers are off-white.

The ostrich forms a few subspecies that differ in size, skin color on the neck, certain features of biology - the number of eggs in the clutch, the presence of litter in the nest, the structure of the eggshell.

Distribution and subspecies

The ostrich habitat covers dry, treeless places in Africa and the Near East, including Iraq (Mesopotamia), Iran (Persia) and Arabia. But due to intense hunting, their population has been greatly reduced. Near Eastern subspecies, S. c. syriacus, has been considered since 1966. Even earlier, in the Pleistocene and Pliocene, different types ostriches were widespread in Frontal Asia, in the south of Eastern Europe, in Central Asia and in India.

There are two basic classes of the African ostrich: East African ostriches with reddish necks and legs, and two subspecies with bluish gray necks and legs. Subspecies S. c. molybdophanes, found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya and Somalia, is sometimes isolated as a separate species - the Somali ostrich. Another subspecies of ostriches with grayish necks (S. c. australis) lives in southwestern Africa, where its range is very mosaic. In subspecies S. c. massaicus, or Masai ostriches, during the mating season, the neck and legs are painted bright red. Another subspecies is distinguished - S. c. camelus in North Africa. Its natural range extends from Ethiopia and Kenya to Senegal and in the north to eastern Mauritania and southern Morocco.

Ostriches with reddish necks, found in South Africa, for example, in state park Kruger (South Africa), are imported individuals.

Lifestyle and nutrition

The ostrich lives in open savannahs and semi-deserts, north and south of the zone equatorial forests. Outside the mating season, ostriches are usually kept in small packs or families. The relatives consist of an adult male, four or five females and chicks. Often ostriches graze together with herds of zebras and antelopes, and together with them make long migrations across the African plains. Through my own growth and beautiful vision, ostriches are the first to notice the danger. In the event of a threat, they take flight, speeding up to 60-70 km / h and making steps in 3.5-4 m wide, and as needed abruptly change the direction of the run without slowing down. Young ostriches already at the age of one month can run at speeds up to 50 km / h.

The usual food of ostriches are plants - shoots, flowers, seeds, fruits, but on occasion they also eat small animals - insects (locust), reptiles, mice and leftovers from predators' meals. In captivity, an ostrich needs about 3.5 kg of food per day. Because ostriches don't have teeth, to grind food in the stomach, they swallow small stones, and often everything they come across: nails, pieces of wood, iron, plastic, etc. Ostriches can for a long time manage in the absence of water, getting water from the plants they eat, but on occasion they willingly drink and love to swim.

The testicles of ostriches, left in the absence of supervision of adult birds, often become the prey of predators (jackals, hyenas), as well as carrion birds. Vultures, for example, take a stone in their beak and throw it at the egg until it breaks. From time to time the chicks are caught by lions. But adult ostriches are not safe even for large predators - the 1st strike of them strong leg, armed with a hard claw, is enough to seriously injure or destroy a lion. There are cases when males, defending their area, attacked people.

The legend that a frightened ostrich hides its head in the sand may come from the fact that a female ostrich, sitting on a nest, spreads her neck and head on the ground in the event of a threat, trying to become inconspicuous against the background of the surrounding savannah. Ostriches do the same when they see predators. In that case, to approach such a hidden bird, it instantly jumps up and runs away.

Ostrich on the farm

The beautiful flight and control feathers of ostriches have long enjoyed consumer interest - they were used to make fans, fans and plumes of headdresses. The strong shell of ostrich eggs was used by African tribes as vessels for water, and in Europe, beautiful goblets were made from these eggs.

Because of the feathers that were used to decorate ladies' hats and on fans, ostriches were practically exterminated in the 18th and early 19th centuries. If in the middle of the XIX century. ostriches were not bred on farms, then by the present time, perhaps, they could have already been completely exterminated, as the Middle Eastern subspecies of the ostrich was exterminated. On this moment ostriches are bred in more than 50 countries around the world (including countries with a cool climate, for example, Sweden), but most of their farms are still concentrated in South Africa.

At the current time, ostriches are bred mainly for the sake of expensive skin and meat. Ostrich meat resembles lean beef - it is lean and does not contain enough cholesterol. Additional products are eggs and feathers.

Most of the coats of arms of Poland have ostrich feathers in the crest. The coat of arms of Australia is a shield supported by a kangaroo and an emu - animals that live exclusively in this country.

reproduction

The ostrich is a polygamous bird. In most cases, ostriches have the opportunity to meet groups of 3-5 birds - one male and a few females. Only in non-breeding time, ostriches from time to time gather in packs of up to 20-30 birds, and immature birds in southern Africa - up to 50-100 individuals. Male ostriches during the mating season occupy an area from 2 to 15 km2, driving away rivals.

When it's time for breeding, male ostriches lek in a peculiar way, attracting females. The male kneels down, rhythmically beats his wings, throws his head back and rubs the back of his head against his back. The neck and legs of the male during this period receive a colorful coloring. Competing for females, males emit hissing and other sounds. They can trumpet: for this they gain a full goiter of air and push it with force through the food tract - with all this, a semblance of a deaf roar is heard.

The dominant male covers all the females in the harem, but forms a pair only with the dominant female and hatches the chicks together with her. All females lay their eggs in a common nesting hole, which the male scrapes out in the ground or in the sand. Its depth is only 30-60 cm. The testicles of ostriches are the largest in the bird world, although they are small relative to the size of the bird itself: testicle length - 15-21 cm,weight - from 1.5 to 2 kg(this is approximately 25-36 chicken eggs). The shell of ostrich eggs is very thick - 0.6 cm, its color is usually straw-yellow, less often darker or snow-white. In North Africa, the total clutch usually consists of 15-20 eggs, in the south of the continent - from 30, in East Africa the number of eggs reaches 50-60. Females lay eggs, apparently once every 2 days.

The eggs are alternately incubated during the day by females (because of their patronizing coloration, merging with the landscape), at night by the male. Often during the day, the testicles are left unattended and heated by the rays of the sun. Incubation lasts 35-45 days. Nevertheless, often many testicles, and from time to time all, die due to understaying. The chick cracks the strong shell of an ostrich egg for about an hour, sometimes more. An ostrich egg is 24 times larger than a chicken egg.

A newly hatched ostrich weighs approx. 1.2 kg, and by four months achieves 18-19 kg. The chicks leave the nest the day after hatching and travel with their father in search of food. In the direction of the first 2 months of life, the chicks are covered with brownish hard bristles, then they dress in an outfit similar in color to that of the female. True feathers appear in the second month, and dark feathers in males - only in the second year of life. capable of reproduction ostriches become at 2-4 years old. Ostriches live up to 30-40 years.

Sources:

African ostrich (lat. Struthio camelus) is the largest bird in the world and the only representative of the ostrich order, the ostrich family, the genus ostrich. Belongs to the class of birds, subclass ratites.

International scientific name- Struthio camelus, Linnaeus, 1758.

conservation status- causing the least concern.

The biological name of a flightless bird, translated from Greek, literally sounds like “camel sparrow” (Greek στρουθίο-κάμηλος). Such apt allegory arose thanks to characteristic features ostrich: he has the same expressive eyes as those framed by long eyelashes, two-fingered limbs and a thoracic callus. The comparison with probably arose due to small, poorly developed wings.

Ostrich - description, structure, characteristics, photo. What does an ostrich look like?

The African ostrich is a bird unique in its nature that cannot fly, has no keel and has only two toes, which is also an exception in the class of birds.

Being the largest birds on the planet, large individuals of the African ostrich boast a height of 2.7 meters and an impressive weight of up to 156 kg. However, the usual weight of an ostrich averages about 50 kg, with males slightly larger than females.

The skeleton of an ostrich is not pneumatic, with the exception of the femur. The ends of the pubic bones fused and formed a closed pelvis, which is also uncharacteristic for other birds.

African ostriches are distinguished by a dense build, a very elongated neck and a small flattened head, ending in an even, wide, flat beak, on which a soft outgrowth of horny tissue is located. At the ostrich big eyes, and the upper eyelid is dotted with long, fluffy eyelashes.

The outgrowth of the sternum, or keel, characteristic of representatives of the class of birds, is completely absent in ostriches, and the sternum itself is poorly developed. On its surface there is a bare area of ​​thick skin - a special pectoral callus that acts as a support when the bird lies on the ground.

The forelimbs of the bird are represented by underdeveloped wings, each of which has two fingers ending in sharp claws. The hind legs of an ostrich are long, strong and muscular, with two fingers, and only one of them has a kind of hoof at the end, which serves as a support while running.

The plumage of an ostrich is loose and curly, relatively evenly distributed over the surface of the body. There are no feathers on the head, neck and legs: they are covered with soft, short fluff.

Ostrich feathers are distinguished by a primitive structure: their beards practically do not interlock with each other and do not form vanes. Birds have very beautiful feathers and there are quite a lot of them: 16 flight feathers of the first order and from 20 to 23 of the second order, tail feathers can be from 50 to 60.

It is very easy to distinguish a male ostrich from a female. The plumage of adult males is black, and only the tail and wings are painted white. Females are rather nondescript: their feathers are distinguished by a patronizing grayish-brown color, and their wings and tail plumage look dirty white.

What does an ostrich eat?

The ostrich is an omnivorous bird, and although the diet of young individuals is predominantly animal food, adult birds feed on all kinds of vegetation. Their diet consists of herbs, shoots and seeds of plants, flowers, ovaries, and fruits, including rather hard ones. However, adults are far from being vegetarians and, if possible, will not refuse various insects, for example, as well as small rodents and carrion in the form of half-eaten prey large predators. There is nothing for ostriches to chew food with, therefore, to improve digestion, they eat sand and small pebbles, and often various inedible objects: wood chips, pieces of plastic, metal, and even nails. Also, ostriches can safely starve for several days.

Like camels, ostriches are able to do without water for a long time: they have enough liquid from the green mass of plants consumed. But, having gained access to water, the ostrich drinks a lot and willingly. With the same great pleasure, ostriches bathe.

Where do ostriches live? Ostriches lifestyle.

Ostriches live in Africa. Birds avoid wet rainforest, preferring open grassy landscapes and semi-deserts located north and south of equatorial forests.

The habitat of ostriches on the African continent. The places where various subspecies of the African ostrich live are highlighted in color. Photo credit: Renato Caniatti

African ostriches live in family groups consisting of a mature male, 4-5 females and their offspring. Often the number of flocks reaches 20-30 individuals, and young ostriches in the south of the range live in groups of up to a hundred birds.

Often ostriches share pastures with whole herds or, while animals and birds treat each other quite peacefully and travel together African savannas. Possessing high growth and excellent eyesight, ostriches immediately notice the approach of predators and quickly run away, taking steps up to 3.5-4 m long. At the same time, the speed of an ostrich can reach about 60-70 km / h. Long-legged runners are able to change direction abruptly without slowing down. And ostrich chicks, 30 days old, are practically not inferior to their parents and can run at speeds up to 50 km / h.

Types of ostriches, photos and names.

In the era of the Pleistocene and Pliocene, there were several varieties of ostriches on earth that lived in Western and Central Asia, in India and southern regions Of Eastern Europe. The annals of the ancient Greek historian Xenophon mention these birds that inhabited the desert landscapes of the Middle East, west of the Euphrates River.

The uncontrolled extermination of birds has led to a sharp decline in the population, and today the only species of ostrich includes 4 surviving subspecies that live in the expanses of Africa. Below is a description of the subspecies of the African ostrich.

• Ordinary or North African ostrich(lat. Struthio camelus camelus) is distinguished by a bald head. This is the largest subspecies, whose growth reaches 2.74 meters, while the ostrich weighs up to 156 kg. The limbs and neck of the ostrich are painted intense red, and the egg shells are covered with thin rays of pores that form a star-like pattern. Previously, common ostriches lived in a large area covering the north and west of the African continent, from Ethiopia and Uganda in the south of the range to Algeria and Egypt in the north, covering West African countries, including Mauritania and Senegal. Today, the habitat of these birds has been significantly reduced, and now the common ostrich lives only in a few African countries: Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic and Senegal.

Common ostrich (North African ostrich) male (lat. Struthio camelus camelus). Photo credit: MathKnight

Common ostrich female (lat. Struthio camelus camelus). Photo by: שלומי שטרית

• Masai ostrich(lat. Struthio camelus massaicus) is an inhabitant of East Africa (southern Kenya, eastern Tanzania, Ethiopia, southern Somalia). Its neck and limbs turn intense red during the breeding season. Outside of the breeding season, they are pink.

Masai ostrich male (lat. Struthio camelus massaicus). Photo by: Nicor

Masai ostrich female (lat. Struthio camelus massaicus). Photo credit: Nevit Dilmen

• somali ostrich(lat. Struthio camelus molybdophanes) based on mitochondrial DNA analysis is sometimes regarded as independent view. The males have the same head baldness as the common ostrich subspecies, but their neck and limbs are bluish-gray in color, and the female Somali ostrich has especially bright brown feathers. Somali ostriches live in southern Ethiopia, northeastern Kenya and Somalia, and the local population calls them beautiful word"gorio". This subspecies of ostriches prefers to live in pairs or singly.

• southern ostrich(lat. Struthio camelus australis) is also distinguished by the gray color of the plumage of the neck and limbs, and its range is dotted through southwestern Africa. The ostrich is found in Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola and Botswana, lives south of the Zambezi and Kunene rivers.

Southern male ostrich (lat. Struthio camelus australis). Photo by: Bernard DUPONT

Southern ostrich female (lat. Struthio camelus australis). Photo by: Yathin S Krishnappa

Ostrich breeding.

Puberty of ostriches occurs at the age of 2-4 years. During the mating season, each male vigilantly guards his personal territory within a radius of 2 to 15 square kilometers and ruthlessly ostracize competitors. The neck and limbs of the flowing male become bright red, and to attract females, he falls to his knees, intensely beats his wings, arches his neck back and rubs the back of his head against his back. During the rivalry for the possession of a female, males make very original trumpet and hissing sounds. Having taken more air into the goiter, the male ostrich sharply pushes it into the esophagus, announcing the surroundings with something like a guttural roar, reminiscent of a lion's growl.

Ostriches are polygamous, so the dominant male mates with all the females of the harem, but pairs exclusively with the dominant female for the subsequent incubation of offspring. After mating, the future father personally digs a nest up to 30-60 cm deep in the sand, where all fertilized females periodically lay their eggs, performing a similar manipulation once every two days.

Among all bird diversity, the ostrich has the largest eggs, although, in relation to the body, they are quite small. The average size of an ostrich egg is 15 to 21 cm long and about 13 cm wide. Egg weight reaches 1.5-2 kg, which is equivalent to 25-35 eggs. The thickness of the shell is approximately 0.6 mm, and its color is straw yellow, sometimes darker or, conversely, lighter. In eggs laid different females, the texture of the shell varies and is glossy and shiny or matte and porous.

Ostrich egg versus chicken and quail egg. Photo credit: Rainer Zenz

In the inhabitants of the northern part of the range, the joint clutch, as a rule, contains from 15 to 20 eggs, in the south - about 30, in the East African population the number of eggs in the nest often reaches 50-60. After laying eggs, the dominant female ostrich forces the competitors to leave and rolls her eggs into the middle of the hole, identifying them by the texture of the shell.

The incubation period lasts from 35 to 45 days, at night only the male incubates the clutch, during the day the females take turns on duty. This choice is not accidental: thanks to the patronizing coloration, the females go unnoticed against the backdrop of the desert landscape. During the day, masonry is sometimes left unattended and warmed solar heat. Despite the general care of the parents, many clutches die due to insufficient incubation. In populations where there are too many females, the number of eggs in the clutch may be such that the male cannot physically cover all the offspring with his body.

An hour before birth, the ostrich chick begins to open the shell of the egg, rests with its outstretched legs on its sharp and blunt ends and methodically pecks at one point with its beak until a small hole is formed. Thus, the chick makes several holes, and then hits this place with force with the back of the head, so ostriches are often born with significant hematomas that tend to pass quickly. When the last chick was born, an adult ostrich ruthlessly destroys the non-viable eggs lying on the edge, and immediately they gather at the feast, which serve as food for the chicks.

Newborn ostriches are sighted, well developed, their bodies are covered with light fluff, and their weight is about 1.2 kg. The chicks that were born move perfectly and leave the nest the next day, setting off with their parent in search of food. For the first two months, ostriches are covered with black and yellow bristles, the crown has a brick color, and the neck is off-white in color with dark longitudinal stripes. Only with time do they form real feathers, and the outfit of all chicks becomes similar in color to the plumage of females. Male ostriches acquire the black color characteristic of adults only in the second year of life.

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Ostriches are very attached to each other and if two groups of chicks meet, it is no longer possible to separate them, due to which flocks of ostriches are often found in the savannas of Africa different ages. Being polygamous birds, the male and female start a fight between themselves, and the stronger parent gets further care for the brood.

Ostriches - amazing birds our planet. According to zoological systematics, they are classified as running birds, also called flat-chested or keelless. They have a small head on a long neck, but their wings are underdeveloped, they do not have flight feathers. The article discusses their habitats, and also provides information about how much an ostrich weighs, how tall it is, what speed it develops when running.

The ostrich, although considered a bird, cannot fly. There are various types of these birds, but they all live in countries with warm climate such as Australia and Africa. These birds prefer savannas or semi-desert areas.

African

Most big birds on Earth - African ostriches. They are widely distributed throughout Africa. They live mostly in dry open area with sandy, sometimes rocky ground. In order to grind food in the stomach, they swallow small pebbles that are found on the ground.

Ostriches are one of the best runners. When running, their speed can reach 50 kilometers per hour. The length of the step due to the growth of about 3 meters. Their wings are not developed, as they are flightless birds. On their feet they have 2 fingers, which they can use as a weapon. They lead a herd life, the number of individuals in the 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 living birds in the world after African ostriches. Their homeland is the shrub and grassy areas of Northern and Southwestern Australia. The number of emus in Australia decreased dramatically when people from Europe came to the country. It has to do with shooting and hunting them. Therefore, from 1865, measures were taken to save the 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, jar lids. They are happy to eat crops, so in some areas of Australia, their shooting is allowed by the state.

Emu can weigh up to 150 kg and be 150 cm high. It has 3 toes on its feet. The feathers are matte brown. The head is located in the center of the back and neck, it can be a little darker, and the bottom of the body, on the contrary, is lighter. Outwardly, the female from the male cannot be distinguished. To determine the 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 up to 51 km/h. In addition, the birds are excellent swimmers. Females lay 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 a separate species, since the study of these birds revealed reproductive isolation from other ostrich species.

An adult Gorayo has a height of 2.5 m. 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 blue color on the neck, and in females - brown.

Traditional Gorayo food is considered to be various plants, however, not only herbs, but also fruits, leaves, tree branches and shrubs. At the same time, such nutrition does not prevent birds from sometimes eating various rodents, insects and small animals. Horayo agrees to eat everything that he is able to eat whole. It happens that he wanders into deserted places in which he is not able to find something to eat. In such conditions, he may well go a couple of days without water and food.

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 next to them, in order to alert each other about 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's nest at a 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 with a weight exceeding 1 kg, but after 4 months, the weight increases to 20 kg and growth increases significantly. In the second month of life, young ostriches have plumage on the body and head. Distinctive features of Gorayo: black and brown feathers, which are visible only a year after birth.

Useful facts

By eating locusts, ostriches can gain a lot of mass, 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 salty, but prefer fresh water.

The ostrich is considered the largest, though not flying, bird. All kinds of ostriches live in the warm countries of Africa and Australia, preferring savannas and semi-desert areas.

The ostrich is the largest bird in the world

With whom do we usually compare a person who is trying to hide from his problems and pretend that nothing concerns him? Well, with an ostrich, of course! There is even such an expression "to hide your head in the sand like an ostrich." How did this animal deserve such comparisons, does it really hide its head or is it just a fiction?

The ostrich is a bird, although it does not fly, and belongs to the ostrich family. Interestingly, if the name of this animal is translated from Greek, it will sound like; "sparrow-camel". Funny right? How can one animal look like both a camel and a sparrow at the same time?!

The appearance of an ostrich

Not a single bird can boast of such dimensions. Ostriches are the largest birds on the planet. In height, they reach 2.5 meters, while not inferior in weight (up to 150 kilograms). At first glance, ostriches are rather awkward and clumsy animals: they have a large body, long legs, such a (long) neck and a small head. The eyes of an ostrich are quite attractive: they stand out very much on the head and have long and thick eyelashes. Such an unusual big-eyed charm - this ostrich!

The feather cover of the animal is loose and slightly curly. The plumage color can be black with white patterns (for males) and brown with white (for females). The difference between ostriches and other birds is the complete absence of a keel.

Where does the ostrich live?

The territory of the ostrich is the African mainland, mainly the eastern and southwestern parts.

Animal lifestyle and behavior

Ostriches cannot fly, but they run very fast! Running away from the enemy, they can reach speeds of up to 70 km / h, they owe such speed to their long and strong legs.

Listen to the voice of an ostrich

Birds prefer to settle in small flocks in open savannas, as well as semi-deserts. On pastures, they are often seen next to zebras and antelopes. Joint grazing for them is a familiar activity.

What do swift birds eat?

Ostriches are omnivores. Of course, the main food for them is plants (seeds, fruits, flowers, young shoots), but they can eat the remains of animal food after a predator, and sometimes they also feed on insects, rodents and reptiles. As for drinking water, ostriches are not very whimsical here either. And is it really possible to be whimsical while living in hot Africa? Therefore, the body of a bird is adapted to a rare drink and tolerates it perfectly.

How do ostriches breed?

During the mating season, male ostriches surround themselves with a "harem" of 2 to 4 females. But before collecting so many “brides”, the males have to attract their attention: they change the color of their plumage to a brighter one and begin to make loud sounds.

All fertilized females of the "mini-harem" lay their eggs in a common nest. However, the male is engaged in hatching masonry with (one) female chosen by him. Ostrich eggs are very large, with a strong shell.

The chicks that were born already have vision and are able to move. At birth, their weight is just over one kilogram. The very next day after emerging from the egg, the kids go to get their own food together with the adult male (father). The life expectancy of ostriches is about 75 years!

Natural enemies of ostriches

Like other birds, egg clutches become more vulnerable in ostriches. They can be attacked by jackals and large birds of prey. Newly born chicks can become easy prey for, while predators do not really look at an adult ostrich, because you can get swipe foot or a deep scratch with a hard ostrich claw.

Is it true that an ostrich buries its head in the sand, or where did such fame come from?

The fact is that while incubating chicks, the female, when danger appears, “spreads” her head and neck on the ground, thus trying to become less noticeable. But not only mother hens use this trick, almost all ostriches do this when a predator appears. And from the outside, it looks like the head has "gone" into the sand.

Human Application

The plumage of these birds is in great demand: they are used to make fans, fans, and decorations for clothes. Ostrich eggs are used both for economic purposes and for aesthetic purposes (for decorating the interior). And on ostriches you can ride a lot of fun!

ostrich species

• Real African ostrich. It is found in Africa, in the Sahara, Mauritania and some other areas.
• American subspecies. It includes two varieties: Darwin's rhea and large rhea.
• Cassowaries (species - common cassowary and muruka cassowary) and emu (the only species).

This is interesting!

According to zoological rules, ostriches belong to the superorder of running birds, and also flat-chested or keelless. The genus of ostriches belongs to the ostrich-like order with a single species - the African ostrich.

Subspecies of the African ostrich live: Malian (Barbary) - in North Africa, Massai - in East Africa, Somali - in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. Once there were two more subspecies of the African ostrich - the South African and the Arabian, now extinct. Male African ostriches can be over three meters tall and weigh up to 150 kg.

The genus Nandu, which lives in South America, belongs to the nanda-like order. It includes two species - the northern rhea and the long-beaked, or Darwin, rhea. Northern nandu (large rhea) can be 150-170 cm tall and weigh 25-50 kg.

The third order is cassowaries. Their place of residence is Northern Australia and New Guinea. This includes two families - cassowaries (species - ordinary cassowary and cassowary muruka), and emu (the only species). Cassowaries live on the island of New Guinea and on the islands closest to it. Cassowaries reach a height of 150-170 cm and a weight of 85 kg.

Emu lives in Australia and on the island of Tasmania. His height is up to 180 cm and weight is up to 55 kg.

Ostriches also include the only species of the kiwi suborder. Kiwi is a resident of New Zealand. This bird is a midget compared to ostriches. (height - 30-40 cm, and weight - 1-4 kg). Distinctive feature kiwi - 4 toes.

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