What are the smallest ostrich birds called? Natural habitat of ostriches. On which continents does the world's largest bird live? Why are they called that

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

The scientific name of the bird translated from Greek means "camel sparrow".

Today the ostrich is the only bird that has bladder.

general information

The African ostrich is the largest bird living today, it can reach a height of 270 cm and a weight of up to 175 kg. This bird has fairly solid body It has a long neck and a small flattened head. The beak of these birds is flat, straight, rather soft and with a horny "claw" on the mandible. Ostrich eyes are considered the largest among land animals, on the upper eyelid of an ostrich there is a row of thick eyelashes.

Ostriches are flightless birds. Their pectoral muscles are underdeveloped, the skeleton is not pneumatic, with the exception of thigh bones. Ostrich wings are underdeveloped: 2 fingers on them end in claws. The legs are strong and long, they have only 2 fingers, one of which ends with a semblance of a horn (the ostrich leans on it while running).

This bird has a curly and loose plumage, only the head, hips and neck are not feathered. On the chest of an ostrich have bare skin, it is convenient for the ostrich to lean on it when it takes a lying position. By the way, the female is smaller than the male and has a uniform grayish-brown color, and the feathers of the tail and wings are off-white.

Subspecies of ostriches

There are 2 main types of African ostriches:

• ostriches living in East Africa and having red necks and legs;
• two subspecies with bluish-gray legs and necks. Ostrich S. c. molybdophanes, found in Ethiopia, Somalia and northern Kenya, is sometimes referred to as a separate species called the Somali ostrich. A subspecies of gray-necked ostriches (S. c. australis) lives in Southwest Africa. There is another subspecies that lives in North Africa - S. c. camelus.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Ostriches live in semi-deserts and open savannahs, south and north of the zone equatorial forests. An ostrich family consists of a male, 4-5 females and chicks. Often you can see ostriches grazing with zebras and antelopes, they can even make joint migrations across the plains. Thanks to excellent eyesight and distinctive growth, ostriches are always the first to notice danger. In this case they run away and at the same time they develop speeds of up to 60-70 km / h, and their steps reach 3.5-4 m in width. If necessary, they are able to abruptly change the direction of the run, without slowing down.

The following plants became habitual food for ostriches:

• shoots;
• seeds;
• flowers;
• fruit.

However, if the opportunity arises, they don't mind eating insects and small animals. They prefer:

• reptiles;
• locust;
• leftovers from the meals of predators;
• rodents.

Ostriches have no teeth, so they have to swallow small stones, pieces of plastic, wood, iron, and sometimes nails to grind food in their stomachs. These birds are easy can do without water for a long time. They get moisture from the plants they eat, but if they have the opportunity to drink, they will do it willingly. They also love to swim.

If the female leaves the eggs unattended, then it is likely that they will become the prey of predators (hyenas and jackals), as well as birds that feed on carrion. For example, vultures, taking a stone in their beak, throw it on the egg, do this until the egg breaks. The chicks are sometimes hunted by lions. But adult ostriches are not so harmless, they pose a danger even for large predators. One blow with a strong foot with a hard claw is enough to kill or seriously injure a lion. History knows cases when male ostriches attacked people, protecting their own territory.

The well-known feature of the ostrich to hide its head in the sand is just a legend. Most likely, it came from the fact that the female, hatching eggs in the nest, lowers her neck and head to the ground in case of danger. So she tends to become less noticeable against the background of the environment. The same thing ostriches do when they see predators. If a predator approaches them at this moment, they immediately jump up and run away.

Ostrich on the farm

Beautiful steering and fly ostrich feathers have long been very popular. They used to make fans, fans and decorate hats with them. African tribes made bowls for water from a strong shell of ostrich eggs, and Europeans made beautiful goblets.

In the XVIII - early XIX century ostrich feathers were actively used to decorate ladies' hats, so the ostriches were almost exterminated. Perhaps, by now, ostriches would not have existed at all if they had not been bred on farms in the middle of the 19th century. Today, these birds are bred in more than fifty countries around the world (including cold climates such as Sweden), but the majority of ostrich farms are still located in South Africa.

Nowadays, they are bred on farms mainly for meat and expensive leather. Taste ostrich meat resembles lean beef, it contains little cholesterol and is therefore low in fat. Feathers and eggs are also valuable.

reproduction

The ostrich is a polygamous bird. Often they can be found living in groups of 3-5 birds, of which 1 is male, the rest are females. These birds gather in flocks only during non-breeding time. Flocks number up to 20-30 birds, and immature ostriches in southern Africa gather in flocks of up to 50-100 winged ones. During the mating season, male ostriches occupy a territory ranging from 2 to 15 km2, protecting it from competitors.

During the breeding season, males attract females by tocking in a peculiar way. The male squats on his knees, rhythmically beats his wings and, throwing his head back, rubs his head against his back. During this period, the legs and neck of the male have a bright color. Although running is its characteristic and distinguishing feature, during mating games, they show the female their other virtues.

For example, to demonstrate their superiority, rival males make loud noises. They can hiss or trumpet, taking in a full goiter of air and forcing it out through the esophagus, while a sound is heard that looks like a dull roar. The male ostrich whose sound is louder becomes the winner, he gets the conquered female, and the losing opponent has to leave with nothing.

The dominant male is able to cover all the females in the harem. However, only with a dominant female forms a pair. By the way, he hatches chicks together with the female. All females lay their eggs in a common pit, which the male himself scrapes out in the sand or in the ground. The depth of the pit varies from 30 to 60 cm. In the bird world, ostrich eggs are considered the largest. However, in relation to the size of the female, they are not very large.

In length, the eggs reach 15-21 cm, and weigh 1.5-2 kg (this is approximately 25-36 chicken eggs). As we have already mentioned, the ostrich shell is very dense, approximately 0.6 cm, usually straw-yellow in color, rarely white or darker. In the territory North Africa the total clutch is usually 15-20 pieces, in the east up to 50-60, and in the south - 30.

During daylight hours, females incubate the eggs, this is due to their protective coloration, which merges with the landscape. And at night this role is performed by the male. It often happens that during the day the eggs are left unattended, in which case they are heated by the sun. The incubation period lasts 35-45 days. But despite this, often the eggs die due to insufficient incubation. The chick has to crack the dense shell of an ostrich egg for about an hour. An ostrich egg is 24 times larger than a chicken egg.

A newly hatched chick weighs about 1.2 kg. By four months, he is gaining weight up to 18-19 kg. Already on the second day of life, the chicks leave the nest and go in search of food with their father. For the first two months, the chicks are covered with stiff bristles, then they change this outfit to a color similar to that of the female. Real feathers become noticeable in the second month, and dark feathers in males only in the second year of life. Already at 2-4 years old, ostriches are capable of reproduction, and they live 30-40 years.

Amazing Runner

As we mentioned earlier, ostriches cannot fly, however, they more than compensate for this feature with the ability to run fast. In case of danger, they reach speeds of up to 70 km / h. These birds, without getting tired at all, are able to overcome great distances. Ostriches use their speed and maneuverability to exhaust predators. It is believed that the speed of the ostrich exceeds the speed of all other animals in the world. We don't know if that's true, but at least the horse can't overtake him. True, sometimes an ostrich makes loops on the run and, noticing this, the rider rushes to cut him, however, even an Arab on his frisky horse will not keep up with him in a straight line. Tirelessness and fast speed are the hallmarks of these winged ones.

They are able to run at an even pace for long hours in a row, because its strong and long legs with strong muscles are ideally suited for this. While running it can be compared to a horse: He also knocks his feet and throws back stones. When the runner develops his maximum speed, he spreads his wings and spreads them over his back. In fairness, it should be noted that he does this only in order to maintain balance, because he will not be able to fly even a yard. Some scientists also claim that the ostrich is capable of speeds up to 97 km/h. Usually, some subspecies of ostriches walk at the usual speed of 4-7 km / h, passing 10-25 km per day.

Ostrich chicks also run very fast. A month after hatching, the chicks reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour.

The African ostrich is considered the largest representative of the species, since its height reaches 2.7 m. It lives in Africa, from which its name originated. It is very similar to the American ostrich, as it has a fairly lush plumage. The main difference is in the rich black feathers of males throughout the year.

African ostriches are the largest birds in the world. They avoid wet rainforest, preferring grassy thickets and deserts where they feel safe. Often they live in joint herds with other representatives of the continent: zebras or antelopes. They warn their neighbors in time of impending danger.

They have excellent eyesight and hearing, so they detect the enemy in advance and hide in time. Able to reach speeds up to 70 km / h.

Surprisingly, they do not slow down even when cornering. The step length is 4 m.

The biological name in translation means "camel sparrow". This is due to weak wings like sparrows, pectoral calluses and weight like camels. Body weight is 60-70 kg.

Appearance:

• Large eyes, near which the mouth line ends;
• The upper eyelid, completely dotted with thick long eyelashes;
• Small head;
• Smooth, flat and wide beak with a soft outgrowth of horn cells at the end;
• Weakly developed chest;
• The presence of a thoracic callus for a convenient location on the ground;
• Long muscular legs, each with 2 toes. Only one completely keratinized, resembling a hoof, serves as a support while 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 in White color. The plumage of females is gray-brown with off-white tail and wings. They also have a longer neck.

Live 60-70 years. Females are productive for 30 years, males - 40 years. They live in small polygamous groups, consisting of 1 male and 7-10 females. Feathers are smart, inquisitive and obedient. They easily adapt to new conditions and make contact with a person. In anger or anticipation of 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 feathered 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: with blue, pink and black necks. The last variety is the most common.

Breeding

During the breeding season, the male captures the territory for 15 km around, behaves aggressively. The female is lured by loud cries and hissing, similar to a growl, and a dance. During it, he kneels, straightens his feathers and rubs the back of his head against his back.

After mating, the male makes a nest 60 cm deep in the sand, in which all females lay their eggs once every 2 days. The dominant female is incubating.

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 wild nature- 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 size.

The female hatches offspring during the day, as she merges with environment because of its plumage. The male occupies the nest at night. During the day, parents often leave the clutch unattended, which is why it becomes a prey for predators. It is preyed upon by hyenas, scavengers and jackals.

Chicks are born by making several holes in the shell, which they pierce with the back of the head. Because of this, babies appear with rapidly healing hematomas. From birth, they have good eyesight and hearing, they can move around. Already on the second day of life, they go hunting with the head of the family.

Unviable ostrich eggs are broken by them, and many flies flock to them, which feed on newborns.

During the first weeks of life, the body of the chicks is covered with black and yellow bristles with longitudinal stripes. They acquire adult color only in the second year of life. It is interesting that from childhood they make friends with kids from different packs.

Once making friends, the chicks converge for life, which is why flocks of different ages are often found.

Adult offspring often become the prey of 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 injured to divert attention from the chicks, and then escapes.

If the chicks get wet, they are dried, otherwise they may get sick and die.

If the offspring is grown separately from the parents, it needs regular walking. From the age of 3 days, he is taken out for short walks so that the kids 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 on one bird should have at least 10 m 2 of space.

An adult is required from 10 m 2. The fence should be from 2 m, otherwise the birds will easily jump over it.

Dark red ostrich meat, reminiscent of veal in taste, is useful because of the minimum cholesterol content. It cooks quickly and is valued for its high content of phosphorus, iron, manganese, nicotinic acid and B vitamins.

Nutrition

At home, newborn chicks are not fed for the first week so that their body fully absorbs the yolk and muscle moisture. The first month, food is scattered on the floor, and only then the feeders are used.

They are predisposed to fullness, so you need to strictly control the amount of food.

In the wild, ostriches feed on parental manure. This stimulates the processing of vegetable 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 is ground in the stomach, which is why birds often swallow gravel, pebbles or sand.

They are very fond of water, but are able to live for a long time without it, getting moisture from plants.

The best food for an African ostrich in summer is crushed alfalfa, which contains a large amount of protein. In winter, birds are given hay and compound feed at the rate of 1.5 kg of the mixture per individual.

For intensive weight gain, birds are given vitamin and mineral complexes.

Contrary to popular belief, the African black ostrich does not hide its head in the sand when threatened. IN stressful situations he either attacks or runs away. An erroneous opinion appeared due to the fact that birds tilt their heads low to swallow the sand necessary for normal digestion.

It's interesting that:

• Feathers are used to make jewelry, fans and fans;
• If active breeding of ostriches on farms 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 that has a bladder;
• The shell is so strong that souvenirs, vases are made from it.

The African ostrich is an unpretentious and sociable creature that easily makes contact with a person. It gladly 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 complex feed.

What do we know about the largest bird on the planet - the ostrich? Most people firmly believe in the myth that an ostrich, supposedly, in any danger, puts its head in the sand, no matter how stupid it may sound (try to put your head in a pile of sand yourself and breathe there for at least a minute). But where did such a myth come from, and what are these birds in general? What types of ostriches live on our planet? Why are they called that? That's what we'll talk about in our article.

Do you know what are the similarities between common ostriches and penguins? Both those and those are birds, but, alas, they cannot fly. But if penguins live mainly in cold regions, they feed in ice water, and hatch their eggs sitting on the snow, then the ostriches settled down much better. These representatives of birds have chosen the warm countries of Africa and Australia. Savannah and semi-desert - this is where the African ostrich and many other species of ostriches are found.

However, scientists argue that it is the African species that belongs to the very “original” ostriches. All other species - emu and rhea - are close to them by kinship, but still make up a separate detachment. The same emu, for example, is rather a bird that looks like an ostrich. In other words, the ostrich is the only representative of the ostrich family (Struthionidae) that has survived to this day.

Why are they called that

Own Latin name- "Struthio camelus" - these birds received because of their resemblance to camels and sparrows. Translated from Greek name species sounds like a "camel-sparrow". Well, our compatriots, who were not particularly experienced in Latin, later began to call "Strauss" "ostrich".

Habitat

Three hundred years ago, these birds could be seen not only in Africa, but also in Palestine, as well as in Asia Minor. Alas, the predatory extermination of ostriches has led to the fact that today their habitat has “shrunk” to the savannahs and semi-deserts of the African continent. They live in the east, in the central part and in the southwest of Africa.

As for Asia, ostriches were exterminated there in the middle of the last century.

Ostriches run great, so they prefer to live on the plains, here they have a great advantage. That is why they avoid settling in dense thickets, in a swamp or in a desert - it is quite difficult to develop maximum speed there.

African ostrich subspecies

Ornithologists distinguish between four varieties or breeds of ostriches. These include:

1. South African subspecies. In southern Africa, they are bred on farms. The main difference between the subspecies is gray necks.
2. Northern subspecies. The zone of their habitat in the wild covers several African states in the south of the Sahara desert. The main difference between the subspecies is the pinkish-brown neck.
3. Eastern subspecies - they are also called "pink ostrich". These birds live in Ethiopia, southern Somalia and Kenya, as well as in eastern Tanzania. This subspecies has a pink neck, but when it comes mating season, the neck of males becomes more red.
4. Somali ostrich - as the name implies, lives in Somalia, in southern Ethiopia, as well as in the northeastern part of Kenya. This subspecies has a neck, and at the same time, the hips have a beautiful gray-blue color. However, during mating games, the neck of male Somali ostriches also acquires a pronounced red color.

Ostriches can occasionally unite in groups of up to 50 individuals, but still these birds prefer to live alone. Having found a mate, the male and female remain together for many years. Ostriches are sedentary, that is, they do not wander, but prefer to live in the same area.

Large but weak wings prevent the ostrich from flying

Why don't ostriches fly

That's right, these birds can't fly. They have wings, like all representatives of birds, but they are underdeveloped. Besides:

• they completely lack a keel;
• very weak muscles on the chest;
• the skeleton is not pneumatic.

You can add the following to this description. The body of an ostrich has a large, one might say gigantic weight, and, as you know, only small birds fly. Even if ostriches had normal wings, they would hardly be able to lift into the air a carcass weighing from 70 to 135 kilograms and up to 2.7 meters high.

Leg Features

Instead of the possibility of flight, nature endowed these birds with strong and hardy legs, thanks to which they run excellently, gaining sometimes incredible speed - up to 65 kilometers per hour. When running on flat terrain, an ostrich is able to overtake an Arabian horse, not to mention a person - after all, the fastest runners-athletes develop a speed of no more than 30 kilometers per hour, and even then only for short periods. An ostrich can move top speed about half an hour.

The legs of an ostrich in some way unique creation. Judge for yourself.

1. They are very long and at the same time have powerful muscles. The stride length of an ostrich when running reaches eight and a half meters.
2. There are only two fingers on the paw, while all other species of birds on the planet have three or even four fingers.
3. One finger is simply huge and takes up almost the entire foot of the paw. Moreover, he is also equipped with a claw.
4. The second finger is much smaller, without a claw. The bird does not rely on it, but thanks to it, ostriches keep their balance when walking, and when running, this finger improves the grip of the feet on the ground.

bird features

All subspecies, be it the Somali ostrich or the black African ostrich, have one very interesting natural feature. These birds excrete their waste products, in particular, feces and urine, not like all other birds, in the form of a single litter, but separately, practically, like people. Ostriches are the only birds on the planet that have a full bladder.

They also have other features:

• their neck does not have a pronounced goiter, like other birds, but it is able to greatly stretch. This allows ostriches to swallow large food whole;
• their vision is excellently developed, in the steppe this gives them the opportunity to notice a predator from a very long distance;
• they even have something like ears, since the external auditory openings protrude somewhat beyond the feather cover, forming miniature ears.

bird or animal

At first, scientists were interested in the question of how true the statement is that ostriches are representatives of a bird tribe. There are so many unusual things about them. Such doubts - a bird or an animal - are suggested, for example, by such Interesting Facts about ostriches:

• they do not flee at the sight of large predators. Being able to run fast, ostriches, protecting their offspring, are able to withstand not only a small hyena, but even an African lion - their strong muscular legs are a very formidable weapon;
• these birds often prefer to graze in the company of herbivores, such as antelopes or even bison. But ostriches do not like to make friends with other birds;
• being birds, ostriches, however, are unusually hardy, they can be ridden or harnessed to a wagon, which many of their owners successfully do;
• unlike birds, which fly well but move slowly on the ground, ostriches are just the opposite.

We think that we have the right to attribute ordinary ostriches to the animal world to the same extent as people - after all, all life on this planet necessarily belongs either to plants or animals. But still, they are dominated by features inherent in birds. Judge for yourself:

• yes, their wings are undeveloped, but they are;
• almost 80% of their entire body is covered with feathers, as it should be with a feathered tribe;
• An ostrich does not have fangs or teeth, but it does have a real beak. In the era of dinosaurs, by the way, there were Archeopteryxes, which had both a beak and teeth at once, but, unfortunately, they died out long ago;
• the female ostrich, as it should be for birds, lays eggs and incubates them.

Therefore, it is not surprising that scientists came to the conclusion that the ostrich is still a bird, not an animal. Although there are similarities with both, but the habits and many characteristics of the ostrich give reason to say so.

Variety of plumage

Almost all subspecies of the ostrich are covered with feathers in the same way, although the color of feathers, beak and paws may vary. The same applies to the color difference between males and females of the same subspecies.

The main plumage is loose and curly and covers:

• torso;
• wings and tail.

In addition to feathers, there is also fluff, but only very short. They are covered:

• head and neck;
• the upper half of the legs (the lower one is covered with large scales).

The fluff, as we said, is short, it is almost invisible, so from afar the areas covered with it look bare.

The male mates with the female. It stands out and attracts females thanks to its luxurious plumage.

How to distinguish a male from a female

There is a definite difference in the coloration of male and female ostrich feathers, as well as additional sexual dimorphism. In particular:

• males are much larger than females;
• the color of the feathers in males is strictly black, and in females the feathers are gray-brown;
• the tips of the feathers on the wings and tail of males are white and pure in color, while those of females are dirty white.

It is also interesting to observe how different individuals look in the same flock. Although the pack usually does not have a permanent composition, nevertheless, some kind of hierarchy prevails in it. In particular, individuals of a higher "class" - alpha - pull their neck and tail straight up, trying to demonstrate their superiority to others. The rest of the individuals hold the tail and neck obliquely, which is a peculiar form of submission.

For decades, ostriches were shot by poachers, but now they are taken under protection.

Accommodation and meals

These birds rest at night. The sleep of ostriches is very peculiar:

• birds spend part of the night lying on the ground with their necks stretched out. This is the so-called deep sleep phase, but it does not last long;
• then comes a much longer period of half-asleep - ostriches sit on the ground, raising their necks high, but at the same time closing their eyes;
• both phases alternate periodically.

During the day, when it is very sultry, ostriches also have a kind of siesta. The main activity occurs at dusk. Being stupid birds, ostriches, however, are very cautious, although they cannot be called particularly shy either.

The sharp eyesight of these birds allows them to see the threat from a kilometer away, so when feeding they raise their heads from time to time and look around. Ostriches are omnivorous, they also eat plant foods - flowers, fruits and shoots, and also do not disdain small living creatures - insects, reptiles and rodents. Domestic ostriches eat 3.5 kilos of food per day.

By the way, an ostrich is able to do without water for a long time, since the plants it eats contain quite a lot of moisture. However, in captivity they willingly drink water, and a lot, and even like to arrange water bathing.

Scientists at one time found out how many ostriches live. It turned out that their age is approximately equal to a human, that is, 75 years. In one zoo in Europe, the South African ostrich lived for almost half a century, although it was brought there as an adult.

The brain and memory of an ostrich

The brain of an ostrich is about the size of its eye, although it is worth noting that the bird's eyes are quite large, about the size of an average domestic chicken egg. The brain weighs about 35 grams, so it is believed that ostriches are not able to remember any information for a long time - for a minute, no more.

Behavior in times of danger

Noticing the approaching predator, the ostrich prefers not to contact him, but to quickly get away. By the way, this is precisely the peculiar symbiosis of this species of birds with herbivores - those who cannot see so far. Grazing with them in the same company, ostriches perform the functions of a kind of watchmen. As soon as the ostrich “give a tear,” all the animals, antelopes or bison, begin to flee with him.

Thanks to their eyesight, ostriches can see a predator for several kilometers.

How ostriches attack

Reasonable caution in case of danger is inherent in ostriches only during the non-breeding period. But their behavior changes dramatically when they start incubating their eggs. Here already these birds are able to show extraordinary courage.

The number of eggs in a clutch is on average 15-20 pieces, although in East Africa their number reaches 60. The females incubate the clutch alternately during the day, since the color of their feathers allows them to better camouflage on the ground, and the males at night.

There is a real hunt for ostrich eggs among predators - hyenas and jackals, especially since during the day the laying is often left open, giving access to the rays of the hot sun. But if an ostrich is nearby and has time to notice a creeping predator, its reaction will be unambiguously aggressive:

• first, the bird tries to frighten the enemy by stretching its neck and opening its wings wide, thus increasing in size;
• if the threat does not work, the ostrich accelerates and attacks using the strength of its paws. The enemy is either trampled or beaten with a paw with a force capable of breaking even a lion's skull.

But usually the same hyenas hunt ostrich eggs in packs - while a couple of individuals distract the warlike parent to themselves, the rest get to the clutch.

Young ostriches do not leave their parents until they are two years old, after which they disperse.

Reproduction and offspring

The mating season for birds of the ostrich family lasts five months, starting in the first month of summer and ending in mid-autumn. But this is for individuals living in the humid regions of Africa. Ostriches living in deserts can mate all year round.

During the mating season, stable flocks, numbering dozens of birds, break up. Each male “captures” a certain area from two to 15 square kilometers, carefully driving out all possible competitors from it. Males call for females by special display. Individual:

• kneels down;
• begins to beat its wings in rhythm;
• throws his head back, while rubbing the back of his head against his neck.

The neck and legs of males turn bright red at such moments. When playing, they make a sound both hissing and trumpet, gaining a full goiter of air and releasing it through a long esophagus - a kind of roar is obtained.

A male can cover several females, but forms a pair with only one of them. All females lay their eggs in a nesting hole specially dug by the male, from 30 to 60 centimeters deep.

The laying of all females is common, only the dominant female collects her eggs in the center. When all the eggs have been laid, the older female drives the rest away and begins incubation. During the day, the rest of the females will replace her from time to time. The incubation period takes about a month and a half.

Features of chicks

A mature ostrich chick breaks the egg shell for about an hour. After all the surviving chicks come out, the remaining eggs are broken by older birds to attract flies - the chicks will feed on flies for the first time. A hatched baby ostrich:

• has vision;
• covered with fluff;
• can move independently;
• weighs a little more than a kilogram, but by the age of four months it is gaining weight up to 20 kilos.

Usually, even chicks of different ages become attached to each other, mix, and it is already impossible to separate the chicks of one group from another. For the care of the group among the parents, a real battle begins, and the winners have to take care of the chicks of different ages.

The first two months, "children" have a yellow bristly coating and are more like hedgehogs. A little later, feathers appear on their body, the color of which matches the color of the feathers of the female mother. Male chicks acquire black feathers only in the second year. By three to four years, individuals are already ready for mating.

Local names for ostriches

In Africa, the natives call the female and cubs of the ostrich differently. When the grown chick is already ready for mating, it is called “edlim” (black and smooth), and before that, the chicks and their mothers are called “ribeda” (dark gray). The natives call the ostriches themselves "naamot" (soft and beautiful).

conclusions

So, we found out that the ostrich is a bird, not an animal. You know where they live, what they feed on and what their behavior is like in different periods of time. If you are interested in this information and want to start breeding these birds, we will be happy to help you with our advice.

Do you know what kind of bird is this - "camel sparrow"? So in the scientific world is called the African ostrich. Lives throughout Africa. In terms of size and weight, it ranks first in the bird world of modern birds.

Two centuries ago, there was a fashion for headdresses with beautiful ostrich feathers, for fans and fans from them. As a result of the large demand for feathers, these birds were threatened with extinction.

Domestication of the largest bird

These giant birds were saved by breeding and domestication. Today, ostrich farms exist all over the world. Even in such northern European countries like Norway and Sweden.

Dominant female eggs are always located in the middle of the clutch

How African ostriches live and run

These birds do not fly. They have a weak rib cage and underdeveloped weak wings. But they run faster than a racehorse. Long muscular legs allow you to reach speeds of 50-70 km / h and at the same time take huge steps up to four meters in length. This speed can be maintained for a long time.

After this fact, I looked around and realized that they could just jump over my office with one step.

Even chicks at the age of one month try to keep up with their parents in running.

The ostrich has the unique ability to quickly change direction while running without slowing down. And to slow down, he opens his wings. When unfolded, they reach a width of two meters.

How much does an ostrich weigh

Several subspecies of these birds live in Africa. They differ in the color of the beak, neck and legs: red, gray and bluish-white. Large individuals grow up to 2.7 meters tall and reach a weight of 156 kg. The average weight of these birds is about 70 kg.

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Brain the size of an eye

All subspecies have a long neck with a small head and huge "naive" eyes, covered with long eyelashes. Ostriches are not smart. Their brains are the same size as their eyes. But very careful and shy. At the slightest danger, they panic and run away.

Due to their high growth and excellent eyesight, they are able to detect dangerous predators at a distance of one kilometer.
This is used by African animals such as zebras and antelopes.
They peacefully graze and move in herds along the shroud along with ostriches. And in case of danger, they run away with them from predators.

They mainly feed on plant foods, but they can happily eat small animals - rodents, lizards and small turtles. Especially love the locust. They eat these insects to such an extent that, having become heavy, they significantly lose in running speed.

An ostrich has only 2 fingers

Toothless and hardy swimmers

Ostriches have no teeth, so they swallow their food whole. And to improve the digestive process, small pebbles are swallowed along with food.

Just like camels, they can go without water for a long time. But at every opportunity they drink with pleasure and even swim in the water.

Young ostriches and immature adolescents gather in large flocks of up to hundreds of birds. And adult males in the mating season acquire a harem of 5-7 females.

Tokuya, they perform a kind of mating dance, trying to attract the attention of the chosen one. The legs of the "grooms" at this time turn red. Particularly excited make sounds similar to a deaf roar.

Having created a family of several females, the male bestows his love on everyone. As a result, each of them lays one egg in two days in a common clutch. The male makes a nesting hole to a depth of 30-50 cm. And he also incubates eggs at night, for 35-45 days.

During the day, the care for future offspring is shifted to the dominant female, i.e. for his beloved wife. And he goes to get his own food. Gehennas, jackals, vultures use this - destroying nests.

Video: Unusual mating dance

Chicks from birth "punching"

The number of eggs in the nest can be from 15 to 60. Depending on the habitat. The weight of the egg reaches two kilograms, and the size is 18-21cm. The thickness of the shell is about 2 mm. The color depends on the subspecies of birds - cream, blue and green.

To get out, the chicks have to make holes in the thick shell for an hour. And then break through it with the back of the head, resting in the opposite direction with your feet. As a result of such exorbitant labor, babies are born with hematomas on their heads.

Despite this, the chicks are quite viable. They are sighted, pubescent, weighing over one kilogram and capable of independent movement. They quickly gain weight and, together with their parents, participate in the search for food.

"Punch" chicks

After four months, they already weigh up to 19 kg. And at the age of 2-4 years they create their own families. Their life expectancy is on average about 50 years.

During the incubation of eggs, ostriches forget about their shyness, and boldly defend the nest. They do not run away from danger, but rather aggressively go to a meeting, trying at first just to scare.

If it was not possible to intimidate the enemy, then it rushes at him, inflicting powerful kicks. With a paw they can strike a lion on the spot, breaking his head.

During this period, African animals do not dare to openly fight with this bird. You can only win by suddenly attacking from behind.

With such a mother, it's not scary

The paws of an African ostrich have only 2 fingers. Moreover, the first is very large with a sharp, hard claw. It serves as a support when running and a dangerous weapon in a fight with a predator. The second finger is much smaller and helps to maintain balance.

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What are ostriches valued for

Nowadays, the fashion for fans and headdresses with feathers has passed. Feathers are mainly used to decorate costumes during carnivals. The length of a quality pen reaches 70 cm in length and 30 cm in width.

Length up to 70 cm

Now expensive ostrich skin and meat that tastes like beef are in great demand.

Leather, with a unique pattern, is more expensive and stronger than crocodile skin and snake skin. Very beautiful, elastic and soft. Over time, does not change its structure. Stays the same softness for decades.

Products from it - shoes, bags, jackets, hats and accessories, are an indicator of the success and prosperity of their owner.

Ostrich leather is very expensive

Real masterpieces are made from durable egg shells - vases, lamps, decorations.

Eggs are used in cooking and cosmetology.

Some facts about ostriches

• Everyone knows the saying: "... do not hide your head in the sand like an ostrich". This is not entirely true. These giant birds sometimes lower their heads very low to the ground, but not out of fear, but for the sake of a bigger pebble.
• At night, they sleep in turns, guarding sleeping relatives.
• In the entire bird world, only the ostrich has a bladder. Urine and feces are excreted separately.
• In case of "betrayal" of the male, the female is looking for another one who is ready to help incubate the eggs left by the runaway dad.
• Ostriches do not hide from the rain, even if there is such an opportunity.
• The sounds of a dull growl during the display are obtained as a result of swelling of the neck.
• The eggs of the dominant female are always located in the middle of the clutch. This gives a greater chance of offspring.

This bird has chosen our Earth for its home.

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Ostriches are the largest birds on the planet. The creations are amazing. What an ostrich looks like, even children know. Many fairy tales have been written about them, 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. In fact, they don't. At the sight of danger, they lie down on the ground, hide. This is evidenced by many photographs and images of birds. Where did ostriches come from? What is their characteristic?

Origin of the bird

Scientists note the similarity of ostriches with dinosaurs. They found out that they are related at the gene level. In their DNA, they are close to tyrannosaurs. Animals had 4 limbs. The anterior ones were poorly developed. They served to grab food. The hind limbs were strong. The animals ran fast. Tyrannosaurs had a long tail, which was a necessary balance for them. A small flat head, a long neck, an elongated, taut 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 a bird. They flew, their hind limbs were not so strongly developed, their weight and body size were small. It is assumed that due to climate change, the direct enemies of the bird have become extinct. She no longer needed to fly. She got food from trees, thanks to her long neck. The individual began to gain weight, increased in size, the wings and skeleton underwent changes, the hind limbs became more developed. She gradually transformed into an ostrich.

Birds cannot fly. Celebrate the following reasons given phenomenon:

• 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. Greek word. People saw in the bird the similarity of a camel and a sparrow. The meaning of the word sparrow-camel. What does an ostrich have in common with a small bird and a large animal?

The ostrich has little resemblance to a sparrow, only the fact that both birds have feathers, there is a beak on the head. But with camels there are similar characteristics:

• big size; massive body;
• developed bipedal limbs;
• Long neck;
• large eyes with well developed long eyelashes;
• the presence of thoracic callus;
• ability to live in hot climatic conditions;
• birds can be without water for a long time.

The growth of a male can reach 2.7 m. It weighs an average of 50-80 kg, but there are also large individuals, the mass of which can reach up to 160 kg. The wingspan is 2 m. The plumage is beautiful, not without reason the birds were and are the goal of hunters. Feathers decorated hats and dresses, fans. Individuals have 60 large tail feathers, 16 first-order flight feathers and 20 second-order flight feathers.

The plumage color of males is black, with white patches on the tail. The females have greyish plumage. It is not as intense as in males. Wings are used when running for balance. Ostriches are excellent runners. They can reach speeds of over 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 look. Males use their wings to attract females during the mating season.

The legs of the birds are muscular and strong. The limbs end with 2 fingers, on one there is 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 feet. The impact force is large, comparable to the impact of a horse's hoof. In order for an ostrich to land on the ground, it must lean on something. It is supported by the chest. This explains the appearance of corns 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, young shoots of trees. In addition to greenery, they can eat small insects. Sometimes grasshoppers are caught. Individuals eat up to 3 kg of food per day. Individuals do not have teeth, they also have no goiter. To grind food, they need to eat small stones.

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. In the stomach there are sand and small stones, gastric juice is secreted. This is where the primary digestion of food takes place. Next, the food bolus passes into the small intestine. Its length is 5 m. The main splitting of coarse fibers occurs in the large intestine. Its length is 8 m.

Birds are unpretentious to the drinking regime. They drink a lot, but infrequently. One individual can drink up to 13 liters of water per day. Especially a lot of liquid they use 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 livestock of young animals can reach 100 goals. A family can be up to 30 individuals. The herd can be in the same territory with zebras and antelopes. For animals, such a neighborhood is favorable. Ostriches have very good eyesight. They can spot danger from miles away. The birds begin to worry, and the animals next to them understand that it is necessary to save themselves.

Many do not know where ostriches live. The answers are different, in Africa, in Australia, in Asia. Scientists answer unequivocally - ostriches live in Africa. The rest of the territories are inhabited by individuals of the cassowary species: these include the Australian emu and cassowary. There are nandu-shaped individuals: they include nanda, which outwardly are very similar to ostriches.

The main habitat is semi-desert and grasslands with good vegetation. IN equatorial forests they don't come in. There are many dangers from which it is difficult to hide or escape. On average, a bird can live up to 75 years in the wild.

Main subspecies

There are 4 main subspecies of the ostrich in Africa: common or North African, South African, Somali and Masai. Individuals of each species have their own distinctive features. 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, in the Central African Republic.

Ostrich description:

The Masai subspecies lives in the east of the continent. Herds can be found in Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia. Individuals are not as large as the North African, but also differ in their large size. The peculiarity of the subspecies is that in males during the mating season, the body acquires a bright red hue. On the body it is poorly visible, but on the legs and neck the red color is visible from afar.

The habitat of the Somali subspecies is southern Ethiopia, Somalia, northeast Kenya. Birds can be recognized by their skin color. She is blue. This is especially noticeable on the legs and neck. Locals 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 one exists alone.

South African individuals occupy the territory of Namibia, Zimbabwe, Angola. Bird growth no more than 2 m. Weight up to 100 kg. The subspecies can be recognized not only by relatively small sizes, but also in plumage. The females have feathers gray color. The same shade of ostrich skin.

reproduction

Puberty in a bird occurs at the age of 4 years. At this time, the female carries out the first clutch. The size of the egg is large: length 21 cm, width 13 cm. Weight is 2 kg. In terms of chicken eggs, it is 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 plumage. Arches the neck, rubs the back of the head against the back. He will not tolerate other males in the territory of his family. Sometimes there are fights for the leading female.

The future father has his own responsibilities. He makes a nest. To do this, the male digs a hole 60 cm deep, up to 2 m in diameter. All females of the family lay their eggs in this nest. Laying is carried out every other day. After placing the next portion of the eggs, the masonry is buried with sand.

The father incubates the eggs at night. It is not visible 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 visible. Incubation of chicks lasts 45 days. Chicks hatch on their own without the help of their parents.

Chicks appear weighing 1.5 kg. They immediately get to their feet, open their eyes. The chicks are growing fast. The offspring needs care. For them, one should look for food and drink, it is necessary to teach the young to get food on their own, to hide from enemies. The right to care for offspring must also be earned. Individuals arrange fights. Both females and males participate. The winner gets the care of the offspring as a reward.

A year later, the young leaves the family, meets new friends. In one livestock of young animals there may be individuals different ages. Birds easily get used to each other, and it is difficult to part with the herd.

Economic use

Ostriches are increasingly being bred on private farms. Everything is valuable for them, and meat, and eggs, and a feather. Meat belongs to dietary products. 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 feature. The longer it is subjected to heat treatment, the harder it becomes. The meat is rich in manganese, iron, B vitamins, and contains nicotinic acid. To obtain meat, young animals at the age of 1.5 years are used.

Fat has medicinal properties. It contributes to the rapid healing of wounds, the production of collagen and elastin. Raw materials increase the level of prostaglandin hormones. Fat is used to make medicines, creams, emulsions. Raw materials are widely used in cosmetology.

For a year, the female brings 80 eggs. Farmers use them in different ways. Both whole and empty eggs are allowed to be sold. Whole eggs of the table category cost 1 thousand rubles each. a piece. Empty eggs are sold to artists. The shell is strong, after appropriate 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.