Common ostrich

The common ostrich (Struthio camelus), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain areas of Africa and is the largest living species of bird and thus the largest living dinosaur. It is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members of the genus Struthio in the ratite group of birds. The other is the Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes), which has been recognised as a distinct species by BirdLife International since 2014.

This bird is distinctive in its appearance, with a long neck and legs, and can run for a long time at a speed of 55 km/h (34 mph) with short bursts up to about 70 km/h (43 mph), the fastest land speed of any bipedal animal. It lays the largest eggs of any living bird.

The common ostrich's diet consists mainly of plant matter, though it also eats invertebrates and small reptiles. It lives in nomadic groups of 5 to 50 birds. The common ostrich is farmed around the world, particularly for its feathers, which are decorative and are also used as feather dusters. Its skin is used for leather products and its meat is sold commercially.

Description

The common ostrich is the tallest and heaviest living bird. Males can be up to 2.75 meters tall and weigh between 100 and 130 kilograms, while females are smaller, standing about 1.9 meters tall and weighing around 90 to 120 kilograms. Baby ostriches are fawn-colored with dark brown spots and gradually change their feathers as they grow.

Adult male ostriches have mostly black feathers with white flight feathers and a white tail, while females and younger males are greyish-brown and white. Their long necks and legs allow them to stand up to 2.8 meters tall, and their large eyes help them spot predators from far away. Ostriches can run at speeds over 70 kilometers per hour and have strong legs adapted for fast running. Their wings help them balance when running and can span about 2 meters wide.

Taxonomy

The common ostrich was first described by Carl Linnaeus from Sweden in his famous work, Systema Naturae. It belongs to a group of birds called ratites, which also includes rheas, emus, cassowaries, kiwi, and tinamous.

There are four accepted subspecies of the common ostrich. Some experts now think the Somali ostrich is a separate species, but not everyone agrees. These birds live in different parts of Africa and have slight differences in their appearance and habits.

Subspecies of the common ostrich

Subspecies	Description	Image
North African ostrich (S. c. camelus), also known as the red-necked ostrich or Barbary ostrich	Lives in North Africa. Historically it was the most widespread subspecies, ranging from Ethiopia and Sudan in the east throughout the Sahel to Senegal and Mauritania in the west, and north to Egypt and southern Morocco, respectively. It has now disappeared from large parts of this range, and it only remains in six of the 18 countries where it originally occurred, leading some to consider it Critically Endangered. It is the largest subspecies, at 2.74 m (9 ft 0 in) in height and up to 154 kg (340 lb) in weight. The neck is pinkish-red, the plumage of males is black and white, and the plumage of females is grey. Northern Africa: Algeria, the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan, South Sudan, Togo, and Tunisia Western Africa: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, and Senegal
South African ostrich (S. c. australis), also known as the black-necked ostrich, Cape ostrich, or southern ostrich	Found south of the Zambezi and Cunene Rivers. It is farmed for its meat, leather, and feathers in the Little Karoo area of Cape Province. Southern Africa: Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe
Masai ostrich (S. c. massaicus), also known as the pink-necked ostrich or East African ostrich	It has some small feathers on its head, and its neck and thighs are pink. During the mating season, the male's neck and thighs become brighter. Its range is essentially limited to southern Kenya and eastern Tanzania and Ethiopia and parts of southern Somalia. Eastern Africa: Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, and Uganda
Arabian ostrich (†S. c. syriacus), also known as the Syrian ostrich or Middle Eastern ostrich	Was formerly very common in the Arabian Peninsula, Syria, Iraq, and Israeli Negev; it became extinct around 1966. Western Asia: Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen

Somali ostrich

Species	Description	Image
Somali ostrich (S. molybdophanes), also known as the blue-necked ostrich	Found in southern Ethiopia, northeastern Kenya, and Somalia. The neck and thighs are grey-blue, and during the mating season, the male's neck and thighs become brighter and bluer. The females are more brown than those of other subspecies. It generally lives in pairs or alone, rather than in flocks. Its range overlaps with S. c. massaicus in northeastern Kenya. Northeastern Africa: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia

Distribution and habitat

Common ostriches used to live across Africa and parts of Asia, but today they are mostly found in open areas like savannas and the Sahel in Africa. They also live in dry, desert-like areas in southwest Africa. Some ostriches have been farmed in Australia, where they have created wild groups.

Studies in India suggest ostriches may have lived there thousands of years ago, based on old eggshells that are very similar to those of African ostriches.

Behaviour and ecology

Common ostriches often live alone or in pairs during winter. During breeding season, they gather in groups of five to 100 birds, led by a top hen. These groups sometimes travel with grazing animals like zebras or antelopes. Ostriches are most active early and late in the day, and they can see and hear predators from far away. They can run very fast—up to 70 km/h (43 mph)—to escape danger. When threatened, they can kick powerfully with their legs.

Ostriches eat seeds, shrubs, grass, fruit, flowers, and sometimes insects, rodents, small reptiles, and scraps left by predators. They swallow small pebbles to help grind their food in a special part of their stomach called the gizzard. Ostriches can go several days without drinking by using water from the plants they eat, but they enjoy bathing when they can.

Ostriches become ready to reproduce when they are 2 to 4 years old. The mating season starts in March or April. Males show off to attract females, and after mating, the female lays large eggs in a communal nest. The eggs are incubated by both males and females, and the parents work together to care for their chicks. Unfortunately, many young ostriches do not survive due to predators, but those that do can live a very long time.

Physiology

The common ostrich has a unique respiratory system that helps it survive in hot, dry climates. Unlike most birds, ostriches do not use a diaphragm to breathe; instead, they rely on a series of air sacs connected to their lungs. This system allows air to flow in one direction through the lungs, making breathing more efficient.

Ostriches also have a special way of controlling their body temperature. They can fluff their feathers to trap air and keep warm or seek shade and expose certain parts of their skin to cool down. When temperatures rise, they pant to lose heat through evaporation, a method that works well even though they lack sweat glands. These adaptations help ostriches maintain a steady body temperature in their native African habitats.

Status and conservation

The common ostrich population in the wild has decreased a lot over the past 200 years, with many birds now living in reserves or on farms. Even so, because ostriches live across a very large area (9,800,000 km²), groups like the IUCN and BirdLife International consider them to be of least concern. One subspecies, the Arabian ostrich (S. c. syriacus), went extinct around 1966. In North Africa, ostrich populations are protected to stop uncontrolled trade.

Humans

Common ostriches have inspired cultures and civilizations for thousands of years in Mesopotamia and African centers like Egypt and the Kingdom of Kush. Hunter-gatherers in the Kalahari use ostrich eggshells as water containers and make jewelry from them.

In Eastern Christianity, decorated ostrich eggs are often hung on oil lamp chains. One old belief said that ostriches stare at their eggs without stopping until they hatch, which was used as a symbol for focused prayer.

Ostriches have been used for their feathers, which were once very popular in clothing. Their skins are also valued for leather. Today, ostriches are farmed for their meat, which tastes like lean beef and is low in fat. Some farms also offer tours and even ostrich rides.

Ostriches can be aggressive when threatened and have been known to kick powerfully with their legs. In places with many ostrich farms, a few serious injuries happen each year from such attacks.

In some places, people race on the backs of ostriches, much like horse racing. This is most common in Africa but has also been a tourist attraction in places like Jacksonville, Florida, Indio, California, and Chandler, Arizona.