The Ostrich lays the largest egg of any living bird in the world.
The Ostrich - Struthio
camelus- is the world's tallest and heaviest bird. They are flightless
birds, found in savanna and arid regions of Africa.
Ostriches are strong runners and can sprint at speeds up to 43 miles (70
kilometers) an hour. Ostriches begin breeding at the age of 4 and their
lifespan is between 30 to 70 years.
Description
Adult males are mostly black,
with white primaries and a white tail. Females and young males are grayish-brown
and white. The head and neck of both male and female Ostriches is nearly bare,
with a thin layer of down. The skin of the female’s neck and thighs is pinkish
gray, while the male's is pinkish red. The neck and legs are long and their
eyes are largest of any land vertebrate. They have acute eyesight and hearing.
Call
They have a pouch in their throat
and are used for communication. They make deep booming, drumming, and grunting
sounds.
Food
Food consists mainly of plants,
roots, and seeds. They will also eat insects, lizards, or other creatures
available when food is scarce. They swallow pebbles to grind food in the
gizzard. Ostriches get most of their water from the plants they eat.
Breeding
The Breeding season is from March
to September. The territorial male will breed with all the females in his
territory, but will only form a pair bond with the dominant female. The females
will lay their fertilized eggs in a single communal nest. The dominant female
lays her eggs first, and when it is time to cover them for incubation she
discards extra eggs from the weaker females. The eggs are incubated by the
females by day and by the males by night. The
eggs are incubated for between 35 to 45 days. The male defends the
hatchlings and teaches them to feed, although males and females cooperate in
rearing chicks. The Ostrich lays the largest egg of any living bird in the
world.
Conservation status – Least Concern
The wild Ostrich population has
declined drastically in the last 200 years, with most surviving birds in
reserves or on farms.
Bird watching
These amazing birds can be seen
on the following Aves Birding Tours/Safaris/Adventures: -
Aves Arid Birding Tour / Safari
/Adventure.
Aves Eastern Cape Birding
Tour / Safari /Adventure.
Aves Highlands / Tembe Birding Tour / Safari /
Adventure.
Aves KZN Birding Tour / Safari /
Adventure.
Aves North East Birding Tour /
Safari / Adventure.
Aves North West Birding Tour / Safari /
Adventure.
Aves Western Cape Birding
Tour / Safari / Adventure.
Aves West Coast Birding Tour /
Safari /Adventure.