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, with thick and relatively long eyelashes, which are located only on the 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! A characteristic feature of representatives of the African Ostrich species is 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 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 of deep sleep, during which the 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 East Africa, there are no significant differences from other representatives of the African ostrich, but the neck and limbs acquire a very bright and intense red color during the breeding season. 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 repopulation in 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 common ostriches live only in some African countries, including Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic and Senegal.
The Somali ostrich lives in southern Ethiopia, northeastern Kenya, and also in Somalia, where the 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 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 of 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 during the daytime the clutch is left completely unattended by adult birds, and is warmed only by the natural heat of the sun. In populations characterized by too many females, a huge number of eggs end up in the nest, 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.
Igor Nikolaev
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Ostriches are the largest birds on the Planet. The creatures are amazing. Even children know what an ostrich looks like. There are many fairy tales about them, and a large number of animated films have been created. Everyone knows for sure that ostriches hide their heads in the sand when they are very scared of something. They don't actually do this. When they see danger, they lie down on the ground and hide. This is evidenced by many photographs and images of birds. Where did ostriches come from? What are their characteristics?
Origin of the bird
Scientists note the similarity of ostriches with dinosaurs. They found out that they are related at the genetic level. In their DNA they are close to tyrannosaurs. The animals had 4 limbs. The anterior ones were poorly developed. They served to grab food. The hind legs were strong. The animals ran quickly. Tyrannosaurs had a long tail, which was a necessary balance for them. A small flat head, a long neck, an elongated, fit body of an ancient animal - all this resembles an ostrich.
Considering the relationship with tyrannosaurs, scientists nevertheless came to the conclusion that, despite the genetic relationship, modern ostriches descended from birds. They flew, their hind limbs were not very developed, and their weight and body size were small. It is assumed that due to climate change, the bird's direct enemies have become extinct. She no longer needed to fly. She obtained food from trees thanks to her long neck. The individual began to gain weight, increased in size, the wings and skeleton underwent changes, and the hind limbs became more developed. She gradually transformed into an ostrich.
Birds cannot fly. The following reasons for this phenomenon are noted:
- birds lack a keel;
- the muscles that served for flight atrophied;
- the structure of the wing and the arrangement of the feathers are not conducive to flight;
- large weight of the individual;
- The bones are not hollow enough.
Few people know what the word “ostrich” means. The word is Greek. People saw in the bird the similarity of a camel and a sparrow. Meaning of the word camel sparrow. What does an ostrich have in common with a small bird and a large animal?
The ostrich has little resemblance to the sparrow, only that both birds have feathers and a beak on their head. But camels have similar characteristics:
- big size; massive body;
- developed two-fingered limbs;
- Long neck;
- large eyes with well-developed long eyelashes;
- the presence of a chest callus;
- ability to live in hot climates;
- Birds can go without water for a long time.
The height of a male can reach 2.7 m. It weighs on average 50-80 kg, but there are also large individuals whose weight can reach up to 160 kg. The wingspan is 2 m. The plumage is beautiful, it is not for nothing that the birds were and are the target of hunters. Feathers were used to decorate hats, dresses, and fans. Individuals have 60 large tail feathers, 16 primary flight feathers and 20 secondary flight feathers.
The plumage color of males is black, with white patches on the tail. Females have grayish plumage. It is not as rich as that of males. Wings are used for balance when running. Ostriches are excellent runners. They can reach speeds of more than 70 km/h. In this mode they can withstand quite a long time. If there is no way to escape from danger, then they spread their wings, which gives them a fighting appearance. Males use their wings to attract females during the mating season.
The birds' legs are muscular and strong. The limbs end in 2 fingers, one has a small growth in the form of a large claw. This is a hoof. It serves as a support during fast movement. An ostrich can fight with its legs. The force of the blow is great, comparable to the blow of a horse's hoof. In order for an ostrich to fall to the ground, it must lean on something. His chest serves as support for him. This explains the appearance of calluses on the chest. Landing on the ground in individuals is the same as that of a camel.
Ostriches, like chickens, eat whatever is given to them, but by nature they are herbivores. They eat grass, leaves, and young shoots of trees. In addition to greens, they can eat small insects. Sometimes they catch grasshoppers. Individuals eat up to 3 kg of food per day. Individuals have no teeth, and they also lack a goiter. They need to eat small stones to grind their food.
The digestive system is unique. It is adapted for splitting coarse fibers. There is no goiter, but there is a proventriculus in which some food can collect. The stomach contains sand and small stones, and gastric juice is secreted. This is where the primary digestion of food occurs. The bolus of food then passes into the small intestine. Its length is 5 m. The main breakdown of coarse fibers occurs in the large intestine. Its length is 8 m.
Birds are unpretentious when it comes to drinking. They drink a lot, but not often. One individual can drink up to 13 liters of water per day. They drink especially a lot of liquid in hot weather. Birds are able to take water from the succulent leaves of plants, so they can go without drinking for a long time.
Ostriches live in families. They consist of 5 females and 1 male. The family also includes offspring. When the young grow up. He gathers in separate herds. The number of young animals can reach 100 heads. A family can consist of up to 30 individuals. The herd may share the same territory with zebras and antelopes. Such a neighborhood is favorable for animals. Ostriches have very good eyesight. They can spot danger from several kilometers away. The birds begin to worry, and the animals neighboring them understand that they need to escape.
Many people do not know where ostriches live. The answers are given differently, in Africa, in Australia, in Asia. Scientists answer unequivocally - ostriches live in Africa. The remaining territories are inhabited by cassowary-like species: these include the Australian emu and cassowary. There are rhea-like individuals: they include rheas, which are very similar in appearance to ostriches.
The main habitat is semi-desert and grassland with good vegetation. They do not enter equatorial forests. There are many dangers there that are difficult to hide or escape from. On average, a bird can live up to 75 years in the wild.
Main subspecies
There are 4 main subspecies of ostrich in Africa: the common or North African, the South African, the Somali and the Masai. Individuals of each species have their own distinctive characteristics. The largest ones belong to the North African subspecies: they are named after the location of the region where the individuals live. They live in Chad, Cameroon, Senegal, and the Central African Republic.
Common ostrich description:
The Masai subspecies lives in the east of the continent. Herds can be found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. The individuals are not as large as the North African ones, but they are also distinguished by their large size. The peculiarity of the subspecies is that during the mating season, the males’ body acquires a bright red hue. It is poorly visible on the body, but on the legs and neck the red color is visible from a distance.
The habitat of the Somali subspecies is Southern Ethiopia, Somalia, and northeastern Kenya. Birds can be identified by their skin color. She is blue. This is especially noticeable on the legs and neck. Local residents call an individual of the Somali subspecies “gorayo”. Gorayos do not form large families. They live in pairs. If one of the partners dies, then the second exists alone.
South African individuals occupy the territory of Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola. The height of the bird is no more than 2 m. Weight is up to 100 kg. The subspecies can be recognized not only by its relatively small size, but also by its plumage. Females have gray feathers. Ostrich skin has the same shade.
Reproduction
Puberty in birds occurs at the age of 4 years. At this time, the female lays her first clutch. The egg size is large: length 21 cm, width 13 cm. Weight is 2 kg. In terms of chicken eggs, this amounts to 36 pcs. The shell is quite strong.
During the mating season, the male calls the female of his family. He spreads his wings, showing all the beauty of his plumage. He arches his neck and rubs the back of his head against his back. He will not tolerate other males on his family's territory. Sometimes fights over the leading female occur.
The future father has his own responsibilities. He makes a nest. To do this, the male digs a hole 60 cm deep and up to 2 m in diameter. All females of the family lay eggs in this nest. Laying is carried out every other day. After placing the next portion of eggs, the clutch is buried with sand.
The father incubates the eggs at night. You can't see him in the dark. It will not attract wild animals with its color. During the day, females sit on the nest: they have their own order. Females have a plumage color close to the shade of vegetation and soil. During the day they are less noticeable. Hatching of the chicks lasts 45 days. The chicks hatch on their own without the help of their parents.
Chicks hatch weighing 1.5 kg. They immediately get to their feet and open their eyes. The chicks are growing quickly. Offspring require care. For them, you should look for food and drink, you need to teach the young to get food on their own, to hide from enemies. The right to care for offspring must still be earned. Individuals arrange fights. Both females and males participate in them. The winner receives care of the offspring as a reward.
After a year, the young animals leave their family and meet new friends. In one livestock of young animals there may be individuals of different ages. Birds easily get used to each other, and it is difficult to part with the flock.
Economic use
Ostriches are increasingly being bred on private farms. Everything is valuable to them, meat, eggs, and feathers. Meat is a dietary product. In terms of protein content, it is ahead of turkey meat. At the same time, it contains little cholesterol. The product is recommended for baby food. The color of the meat resembles beef, but it is more loose and juicy. It has a peculiarity. The longer you heat it, the harder it becomes. Meat is rich in manganese, iron, B vitamins, and contains nicotinic acid. Young animals aged 1.5 years are used to produce meat.
Fat has medicinal properties. It promotes rapid wound healing, collagen and elastin production. Raw materials increase the level of prostaglandin hormones. Fat is used for the production of medicines, creams, emulsions. The raw material is widely used in cosmetology.
The female brings 80 eggs per year. Farmers use them in different ways. Both whole and empty eggs are sold. Whole table-grade eggs cost 1 thousand rubles. a piece. Empty eggs are sold to artists. The shell is strong, and after proper processing it looks like porcelain. The shell is painted and sold as a souvenir. An empty egg costs about 500 rubles. Entrepreneurs claim that the ostrich egg business is very profitable.
The African ostrich is considered the largest representative of the species, as its height reaches 2.7 m. It lives in Africa, which is where its name came from. It is very similar to the American ostrich, as it has quite lush plumage. The main difference is the rich black feathers of the males throughout the year.
African ostriches are the largest birds in the world. They avoid tropical rainforests, preferring grassy areas and deserts, where they feel safe. They often live in joint herds with other representatives of the continent: zebras or antelopes. They warn their neighbors in time about the impending danger.
They have excellent eyesight and hearing, so they detect the enemy in advance and hide in time. Capable of reaching speeds of up to 70 km/h.
It's amazing that they don't slow down even when turning. The step length is 4 m.
The biological name translated means “camel sparrow”. This is due to weak wings like sparrows, chest callus and weight like camels. Body weight is 60-70 kg.
Appearance:
- Large eyes, near which the lines of the mouth end;
- The upper eyelid is completely covered with thick long eyelashes;
- Small head;
- Smooth, flat and wide beak with a soft growth of horny cells at the end;
- Poorly developed breasts;
- The presence of a chest callus for a convenient location on the ground;
- Long muscular legs, each with 2 toes. Only one completely keratinized one, resembling a hoof, serves as a support during running;
- The head, neck and legs are covered with soft short fluff;
- Curly, but loose and uniform plumage.
The male black African ostrich is completely black. Only the tail and wings are painted white. The plumage of females is gray-brown with off-white tail and wings. They also stand out for their longer neck.
They live 60-70 years. Females are productive for 30 years, males for 40 years. They live in small polygamous groups consisting of 1 male and 7-10 females. Birds are smart, inquisitive and obedient. They easily adapt to new conditions and make contact with humans. When angry or anticipating trouble, they become very aggressive and dangerous.
A blow from a strong paw can kill a lion.
They are able to run several kilometers without stopping. They sleep very little, waking up often. One bird always guards the flock and wakes it up in case of danger. They love to take sand baths.
It is believed that there are three varieties of ostriches in Africa: blue-necked, pink-necked and black-necked. The last variety is the most common.
Breeding
During the breeding season, the male seizes a territory of 15 km around and behaves aggressively. The female is attracted by loud screams and hissing, similar to a growl, and dancing. During it, he kneels down, straightens his feathers and rubs the back of his head.
After mating, the male makes a nest 60 cm deep in the sand, into which all females lay eggs once every 2 days. The dominant female does the incubation.
Interestingly, she always puts her eggs in the middle so that they are as warm as possible.
The shell is light yellow. It can be smooth and glossy or matte and porous.
At home, the chick is sexually mature when it reaches two years, in the wild - 4 years. In the natural environment, females give 5-18 eggs, domesticated birds - 50-110 eggs. The weight of one is approximately 1500-1900 g. The incubation period for breeding lasts 43-45 days, depending on the size.
The female incubates her offspring during the day as she blends in with her surroundings due to her plumage. The male occupies the nest at night. During the day, parents often leave the eggs unattended, making them prey for predators. She is hunted by hyenas, scavengers and jackals.
Chicks are born by making several holes in the shell, which they pierce with the back of their heads. Because of this, babies appear with quickly healing hematomas. From birth they have good vision and hearing, and can move. Already on the second day of life they go hunting with the head of the family.
Non-viable ostrich eggs are broken by them, and many flies flock to them, which the newborns feed on.
During the first weeks of life, the body of the chicks is covered with black and yellow bristles with longitudinal stripes. They acquire adult coloration only in the second year of life. It’s interesting that from childhood they make friends with kids from different packs.
Once they become friends, the chicks bond for life, which is why flocks of different ages often meet.
Adult offspring often become prey for hyenas, leopards, cheetahs and lions.
An angry ostrich runs very fast and attacks zealously. Even large animals are afraid of him. If necessary, the bird pretends to be wounded to divert attention from the chicks, and then runs away.
If the chicks get wet, they are dried, otherwise they may get sick and die.
If the offspring are raised separately from their parents, they need regular walking. From 3 days of age, he is taken for short walks so that babies strengthen their legs and joints. Food is placed at different ends of the room so that they move more. They are kept in groups of 40 individuals. From 6 months, one bird should have at least 10 m2 of space.
An adult requires 10 m2. The fence should be at least 2 m high, otherwise the birds will easily jump over it.
Dark red ostrich meat, which tastes like veal, is healthy due to its minimal cholesterol content. It is quickly prepared and valued for its high content of phosphorus, iron, manganese, niacin and B vitamins.
Nutrition
At home, newborn chicks are not fed for the first week so that their body completely absorbs the yolk and muscle moisture. For the first month, food is scattered on the floor, and only then feeders are used.
They are prone to obesity, so you need to strictly control the amount of food you eat.
In the wild, ostrich chicks feed on parental dung. This stimulates the processing of plant fiber in the intestines and the immune system.
Adults are omnivores. They consume shrubs, tree shoots, small reptiles and insects. They have no teeth, food grinds in the stomach, which is why birds often swallow gravel, pebbles or sand.
They love water very much, but are able to live for a long time without it, receiving moisture from plants.
The best food for the African ostrich in summer is crushed alfalfa, which contains a large amount of protein. In winter, birds are given hay and feed at the rate of 1.5 kg of mixture per individual.
For intensive weight gain, birds are given vitamin and mineral complexes.
Contrary to the established stereotype, the African black ostrich does not hide its head in the sand when in danger. In stressful situations, he either attacks or runs away. The erroneous opinion arose due to the fact that birds bend their heads low to swallow sand, which is necessary for normal digestion.
It's interesting that:
- Feathers are used to make jewelry, fans and fans;
- If active farming of ostriches had not begun in the 19th century, the population would have died out;
- Bird feathers are not plucked, but carefully cut off at the root twice a year;
- The African ostrich is the only bird with a bladder;
- The shell is so durable that souvenirs and vases are made from it.
The African ostrich is an unpretentious and sociable creature that easily makes contact with humans. It happily trusts the one who constantly feeds and waters it. The bird is not aggressive towards other animals and its relatives, but always protects its flock to the last. Growing on farms does not require special knowledge or effort. The main thing is to provide freedom of movement and comprehensive food.
“Hey, little bird! Let's fly with me! - remember the words from a cartoon beloved by many in the past. The African ostrich immediately comes to mind, strong and beautiful.
The African ostrich is a bird familiar to everyone since childhood.
Characteristic signs of ostriches
In the living world, the African ostrich is the largest bird. His height reaches two and a half meters, and his weight reaches 180 kg. They feed on plant foods, but do not disdain insects and small vertebrates. Ratites often swallow non-edible objects: rags, nuts, pieces of iron, sand.
Birds' eyes are too big. Thick, dark eyelashes protect them from dust, sand, and dirt. African ostriches have an oval body covered with soft, down-like feathers. Chicks have darker plumage than adult birds. Legs are pride and protection. They are strong, long, and have only two fingers. At the moment of danger, the African ostrich can reach speeds of about 70 km/h. The neck of representatives of this species is long. It helps to get succulent leaves from tall trees, making it possible to spot danger in time. Ratites cannot fly (heavy weight, loose plumage), although their wings are developed and strong.
Wings serve to attract the opposite sex during the mating season. The mating dance is reminiscent of black grouse and wood grouse. The main male is able to fertilize all the females, but only one of them will help hatch the eggs - the dominant one.
A male African ostrich uses his luxurious plumage to attract females.
Kinds
This bird belongs to the ostrich family. There were once five species. Since 1966, the Syrian species has been considered extinct. The remaining ones include: common, Somali, Masai and southern. They differ in the shade of their plumage and the color of their neck.
Ostrich body structure
The body of ratites is covered with feathers, evenly distributed, without any gaps. Their feathers are soft, curly, not interlocked, like those of other birds. The pectoral muscles are weak, the chest is flat, lacking a keel (hence the name ratite). The wingspan reaches two meters, but due to the characteristics of the feather, weak muscles, and the absence of collarbones, the bird is not adapted for flight. The skeleton bones are strong. The absence of internal cavities is not conducive to planning. Ostriches do not have a goiter. Feces and urine are separated from each other, unlike other representatives of the class.
The ostrich's weak wings prevent it from flying
Habitat
Representatives of the ostrich family live on the warmest continent of our planet on both sides of the equator. The male ostrich is polygamous. His family includes several females, although he singles out one of them. It is she who helps him hatch chicks, raise them, and take care of their offspring. The leading lady has slight privileges in the herd.
Quite often, the ostrich lives together with zebras and antelopes. The latter have nothing against this, and even give them places with richer food.
He has a long neck, sharp eyesight, and sensitive hearing. It is difficult for the enemy to surprise him. The ostrich will certainly notice the enemy and warn everyone in the immediate area about the danger. He is able to spot a predator at a distance of more than five kilometers. Noticing the danger, the bird gives a loud cry and rushes to run. Running speed at the moment of danger can exceed 70 km/h.
The ostrich has excellent eyesight and can see a predator at a distance of 5 km
Features of the bird
It is a widely known fact that ostriches do not fly. They cannot fly due to their skeletal structure, plumage and large body mass. But they move faster than a horse. Even small ostrich chicks, about a month old, are already capable of running at a speed of 50 km/h. This is not their only feature.
Ostriches differ from other representatives of the class in the structure of their fingers. They only have two toes. One of them is keratinized. This helps well when walking and long runs. The long claw on the thumb resembles the hooves of camels. The literal translation of the name of ratites into Russian sounds like “camel sparrow.”
Another feature is the egg. The African ostrich has the largest egg. One of these can easily fit 24 chickens. If we compare it with the size of the bird, then this ratio will be slightly less than that of a chicken.
It was mentioned above that among all ladies there is a dominant one. She is the one who hatches the chicks. The male is preparing the nest. Everyone else lays eggs in it. The main female places her eggs in the very center. This is one of the main privileges of the First Lady. During the day she incubates, at night she is replaced by the leader of the herd.
The dominant female has the right to lay eggs in the center of the nest
How do ostrich chicks develop?
It takes a long time to hatch ostrich chicks. Only after 40 days the chicks are born. Each of them weighs just over a kilogram, otherwise he would not survive. Ostrich chicks grow and develop quickly. After a couple of months they have real plumage. They gain strength and soon begin to move at the speed of adult birds. Young ostriches remain under the protection of their parents for about two years. Then they leave the nest and create their own harems.
There are no orphans in ostrich families. If different families meet in the same territory, they try to lure other people’s chicks to themselves.
In nature, there are herds with many ostrich chicks (300 or more).
Young ostriches live with their parents for up to two years, after which they go their separate ways.
Are ratites facing extinction?
Representatives of this class were mercilessly exterminated, killed, and are doing so today. They are often hunted for their plumage. African ostrich feathers are used as a decorative element in costumes and interior design. Fashion designers love to use it in their products. Ostrich skin is thin, yet durable and soft. It was adapted for the manufacture of clothing, shoes, and accessories. They have incredibly tasty meat that can satisfy the taste of even knowledgeable gourmets. Eggs are edible, nutritious, and rich in vitamins. Because of this, bird hunting continues today.
This caused the extinction of an entire species of the ratite family in 1966. But today more ostrich farms have begun to appear.
Representatives of the family have adapted to almost any living conditions. They are bred not only in hot countries, but also in temperate latitudes of our planet. Thanks to this, as well as many nature reserves and zoos, they are no longer in danger of extinction.
After decades of mass shooting, ostriches are finally protected by law.
Some interesting facts about ostriches:
Here is such an interesting, at the same time unusual, beautiful, strong bird, the African ostrich. It’s worth seeing them with your own eyes, admiring their unusual appearance and strength.
One of the important historical moments in the field of ostrich farming is striking - it turns out that the ordinary ostrich became a full-fledged inhabitant of the planet 12 million years ago. The ancient Egyptians, Babylonians and Assyrians loved to trade its feathers. And during ceremonial events, rich ladies of Ancient Egypt arrived riding on ostriches. For everyone interested in this topic, our article will provide information about the characteristics of the species, reproduction and diet, as well as interesting facts from the life of birds.
Experts classify the common ostrich species as belonging to the ostrich family. Once upon a time, science knew 5 varieties of these birds. The Syrian ostrich was officially declared extinct in 1966. The survivors include the common, Masai, Somali and southern. Birds of these species can be easily distinguished from each other by the color of their plumage and neck color. The superorder of flightless birds also includes the rheas - the northern rhea and the long-billed rhea, as well as the cassowaries - the common cassowary, muruka and emu.
The common ostrich is the largest of all existing birds, reaching a height of up to 270 cm and can weigh about 156 kg.
By nature, the ordinary ostrich has a well-developed dense body, a rather long neck and a small, slightly flat head. He has large eyes and numerous eyelashes on his upper eyelid. The beak is smooth, on the upper beak there is a horny growth - a claw. If you touch it, it will be soft. The ostrich has no keel, the chest is poorly developed, and in the skeletal structure only the thigh bones are pneumatic. The wings are also characterized by underdevelopment - a pair of fingers end in spurs. The limbs are not only long in size, but also powerful. When running, one of the fingers, at the end of which there is a horny hoof, serves as a reliable support for the bird.
Ostrich feathers appear loose and curled. They grow almost evenly on the body. There is no feathering in the head, neck and hips. There is also a bare area on the chest - the bird leans on it when it needs to take a horizontal position. An adult male has white tail and wing feathers, and his body is painted black. The female has a not so large body, and her feathers are grayish-brown. In the area of the tail and wings they are distinguished by a dirty white tint. Feathers have high thermal insulation, thanks to which the ostrich can easily withstand temperature changes. There are about 60 feathers in the tail, 16 primary and 25 secondary feathers on the wings.
While running, the bird reaches speeds of up to 75 km per hour. But it is difficult for the enemy to take her by surprise - the ostrich has sensitive hearing and excellent eyesight. He notices the predator when it approaches a distance of about 5 km, and warns his relatives about the danger. The bird's stride length is 3 - 5 meters.
Already in the first year, ostrich chicks gain up to 25 cm in height per month. When they turn 1 year old, their live weight is 45 kg.
Once upon a time, common ostriches lived throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East. People did not allow birds to exist in peace - they destroyed them for meat and beautiful feathers. Many birds died in the 19th century, when the fashion began to decorate outfits with feathers. To stop the death of ostriches, the first ostrich farm was created on the South African mainland in 1838. Such farms have helped preserve the wild bird population. The habitat where the ostrich now lives is limited to the territories of national parks located in East and Southern Africa.
Today, representatives of the species live on the warmest continent on the planet; they can be found on both sides of the equator. Often in the wild, ostriches live together with antelopes and zebras.
Reproduction
The common ostrich is a polygamous male. If the rest of the time the birds exist in flocks, then during the mating season young people who have reached sexual maturity form separate flocks. When creating a nest, the male conquers a huge territory from competitors, equal to approximately 10 square meters. km. Males hiss at their rivals and even roar dully. They are able to interest females by their characteristic mating behavior, and their neck and sides have a variegated color during the mating season.
Birds reach sexual maturity at 2–4 years. In females, puberty occurs six months earlier. The duration of the mating season is from March-April to September. The male usually deals with 5 - 7 females, but then chooses only one to hatch the offspring.
The nest is a hole in the ground, deepened by 50 cm. In the clutch you can find from 15 to 60 eggs obtained from different ostriches. In the center of the clutch are the eggs of the female, which the male will choose for subsequent incubation. Ostrich eggs can weigh up to 2 kg and reach a length of 20 cm. Their shell thickness is up to 6 mm. The color is dark yellow.
Hatching of ostrich chicks takes a long time - up to 40 days. This is a difficult period in the life of ostriches. Eggs located at the edge of the clutch may end up without chicks. Babies break the shell on their own. Each newborn chick weighs approximately 1 kg. Eggs left unattended are often the prey of hyenas and jackals, scavenger birds. Vultures throw stones from their beaks at eggs until they break.
After a few months, the body of the ostrich chicks is covered with feathers. They move almost at the speed of adults. Father and mother raise their offspring once they reach the age of 2 years. Sometimes babies are caught by lions. But they are afraid of adult birds, since an ostrich with one kick can injure and even kill the animal. There are no abandoned babies in ostrich families. If different families collide in one area, then each one tries to lure other people’s ostrich chicks to join them.
Under natural conditions, the life expectancy of birds is 40–45 years, and in captivity they often live up to 60.
Nutrition
Common ostriches eat plant foods:
- seeds;
- shoots;
- flowers;
- fruit;
- fruits;
- grass;
- bush leaves.
If the opportunity arises, they also feast on insects, such as locusts, as well as reptiles and rodents. These large birds do not disdain the remnants of the feasts of predatory animals. Young animals traditionally consume food of animal origin.
If you decide to keep ostriches on your own, know that they will need approximately 3.5 kg of food daily.
Ostriches have no teeth, so to normalize the digestive process they swallow pebbles and other small objects - nails, pieces of iron, plastic, wood. They are able to live normally for a long time without water, absorbing the necessary moisture from plants. When surviving in drought conditions, they can lose up to 25% of their live weight as the body becomes dehydrated. But when the opportunity arises, they enjoy drinking and swimming.
Look how ostriches live in the Russian outback, and what kind of business their owner has on ostrich eggs and fat.
