The ostrich is a ratite flightless bird. Not long ago, scientists concluded that the DNA of the African ostrich is similar to the DNA of the Tyrannosaurus rex. But it also has common features with ordinary chicken. Unfortunately, it has not been possible to reliably determine who the ostrich’s ancestor is.
At the end of the 19th century, ostriches began to be domesticated. The growth rate of this industry was quite low. This is due to diseases spread by birds. And only in the 80s of the twentieth century, breeding ostriches at home began to gain momentum.
African ostrich: description
African ostriches are now considered the only representatives of this family. This largest flightless bird inhabits vast areas of the African continent, while African ostriches thrive in captivity, so these birds are artificially raised on ostrich farms.
Appearance
These are the largest birds found in the wild on our Planet. Adult birds can reach a height of up to 2.7 meters and weigh about 150 kilograms . These birds have a fairly dense build, a very long neck and a relatively small, flattened head. The beak of ostriches is quite soft, straight and flat, while in the area of the beak you can see a kind of horny “claw”.
If you pay attention to the eyes, they are relatively large, as are the long and thick eyelashes, which are located exclusively on the upper eyelid. The bird sees perfectly. The external auditory openings are clearly visible on the head, which in appearance resemble neat and small ears, since the plumage in this area is very weak.
Interesting to know! African ostriches, as a species, have a characteristic feature associated with the absence of a keel, as well as the presence of underdeveloped pectoral muscles. The ostrich skeleton is quite rigid, with the exception of the femur.
Ostriches are also distinguished by their underdeveloped wings, which end in relatively large fingers armed with spurs or claws. As for the hind limbs, they are quite long and powerful, ending in two fingers. On one of the toes, which serves as a support for the bird when running, there is a kind of horny hoof.
African ostriches have quite lush plumage, while it is loose and curly. The entire surface of the body is more or less evenly covered with a layer of feathers. The nature of the plumage is considered quite primitive:
- The beards do not adhere to each other.
- There are no dense lamellar fans as such.
Interesting moment! Ostriches do not have a crop, and the neck is characterized by a high degree of extensibility, which allows the bird to feed on fairly large food objects.
Parts of the body such as the head, hips and neck are completely devoid of feathers, while there is also a bare part of the body in the chest area, which is called the “pectoral callus”. When lying down, the bird rests on this part of the body.
In adult males, the plumage color is mainly black, and the tail and wings are colored white. Females are not only smaller compared to males, but are also characterized by not so bright plumage, which boils down to the presence of a uniform dull coloring, in which grayish-brown tones predominate, as well as dirty white tones in the tail area, including on the wings .
Interesting facts about Ostriches
Behavior and lifestyle
As a rule, ostriches prefer to live in the same living space as zebras and antelopes, so they move together across a certain territory. Ostriches are quite tall and have excellent eyesight, so they are the first to notice approaching danger. This helps other animals to react in a timely manner to the approach of predators.
In case of danger, African ostriches make loud sounds and also begin to run away, often developing speeds of more than 70 km/h. In this case, the bird takes steps about 4 meters long. Once born, ostrich chicks are able to run at speeds of up to 50 km/h within a month, while sharp turns do not have a negative impact on such rapid movement.
Basically, except for the mating season, ostriches prefer to stay in large groups, which include an adult male, several young birds, and about 5 females.
Important point! You can often hear that in case of danger, ostriches try to stick their heads in the sand. Actually this is not true. Ostriches simply tilt their heads to the ground and begin to swallow sand, which improves the digestion process.
At sunset, when the heat begins to subside, ostriches begin to become active. At night, as well as during the day, ostriches usually rest. These large birds sleep in a rather original way, since their sleep consists of periods of deep sleep, when the bird lies on the ground and stretches its neck, as well as periods of half-asleep, when the bird is in a sitting position, raising its neck and closing its eyes.
Hibernation
African ostriches easily tolerate the winter conditions of the middle latitudes of our territory. This is due not only to their lush plumage, but also to the excellent health that nature has endowed them with. Keeping them in captivity involves the construction of insulated poultry houses. When offspring are born in the winter, in the future they become more hardened and healthy, compared to individuals born in the warm period.
Types of ostriches with photos and names
African ostriches include subspecies such as the North African, Masai, Southern and Somali subspecies, as well as the Aleppo (Syrian or Arabian) ostrich, which is considered an extinct subspecies.
It is important to know! The group of ostriches does not have a stable composition. Despite this, the hierarchy is strictly observed in the group. Individuals of the highest rank can be identified by their neck and tail when they are in an upright position. Birds of lower rank carry their tails in an inclined position.
Common ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus)
Today it is the largest representative of the ostrich genus. The bird is distinguished by the fact that it has a clearly visible bald patch on its head. Adults reach a height of about 2 meters 70 cm, with an average weight of about 150 kilograms. The neck and limbs are characterized by the presence of an intense red color. The shells of these ostrich eggs are decorated with patterns in the form of stars formed by thin strings of pores.
Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes)
Based on special research, many experts believe that the Somali ostrich is an independent species. The males of this species have the same bald patch on the head as many other representatives of the ostrich genus, while the neck and limbs have a bluish-gray skin color. Female Somali ostriches are distinguished by the presence of a brighter brownish plumage color.
Masai ostrich (Struthio camelus massaicus)
It does not belong to the category of the most common inhabitants of the territories of East Africa. It is practically no different from other subspecies of the ostrich genus, although the area of the neck and limbs may acquire a bright red color during breeding periods. In other periods, this subspecies is characterized by a not very noticeable pink coloration.
Southern ostrich (Struthio camelus australis)
It is considered one of the subspecies of the African ostrich, which is characterized by quite impressive size. The neck and limbs are grayish in color. Males are much larger than females.
Syrian ostrich (Struthio camelus syriacus)
In the middle of the 20th century, this subspecies disappeared forever from wildlife, and until that moment it inhabited the vast expanses of northeast Africa. It is generally accepted that the common ostrich is a close relative of the Syrian ostrich. It was the common ostrich that took part in the program of repopulation of the territories of Saudi Arabia. The main habitat of this subspecies was associated with desert areas.
Natural habitats
Several decades earlier, or maybe centuries, common ostriches were found in fairly large areas that were associated with the northwestern territories of Africa. Therefore, the bird inhabited many African countries, such as Uganda, Ethiopia, Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, Mauritania and others.
Currently, the habitat of these unique birds has been significantly reduced, so ostriches are found only in some countries of the African continent.
The southern territories of Ethiopia, northeastern Kenya, and Somalia are considered to be the natural habitat of Somali ostriches. This subspecies prefers to live alone or in pairs.
Masai ostriches are found throughout Kenya, Tanzania and Ethiopia. The southern subspecies prefers to live in southwest Africa. In addition, they are found in Namibia and Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Angola. Their habitat is also associated with the Kunene and Zambezi rivers.
Natural enemies of ostriches
If we talk about adult individuals, then they have practically no enemies, since this bird can stand up for itself despite the fact that even a lion may be in front of it. Mainly the problems of ostriches are associated with the incubation of eggs, as well as the period of growing up. Various types of predators prey on ostrich eggs.
Interesting moment! There are documented cases where adult ostriches, defending themselves from lions, inflicted dangerous injuries on them with their legs, and the injuries were incompatible with life.
This is evidence that ostriches cannot be classified as timid birds that hide their heads in the sand. In addition to the fact that adult individuals are strong, they are also aggressive when it comes to protecting territories, their relatives, and even more so, future offspring.
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.
What do they eat?
The basis of the ostrich diet is food items of both plant and animal origin. As plant food, ostriches eat various shoots, inflorescences, seeds and fruits of plants. As animal food, the bird eats various insects, locusts, reptiles and rodents. They often find food remains from various predators. Younger individuals feed mainly on animal food.
To keep ostriches in captivity, it is necessary to take into account that one adult ostrich needs up to 3 and a half kilograms of food per day, or even more. In order for food to be fully digested, the bird has to swallow small stones or other solid non-food objects. This is due to the fact that the ostrich has no teeth and has nothing to grind food with before swallowing.
It is believed that ostriches are quite hardy and can go without water for a long time, making do with the amount of moisture that enters their body with food. Despite this, ostriches love to swim.
Ostriches. Life on the run.
Reproduction and offspring
When the mating season begins, African ostriches begin to more carefully control their territory, which can be several square kilometers. This period is characterized by the fact that in birds the neck and limbs are painted in brighter, more attractive colors. It should be noted that females do not allow males into their territory, but males welcome such violation of the territory.
Having reached 3 years of age, ostriches are ready to breed. This period is also characterized by the fact that males begin to make very unique sounds that are similar to the roar of lions, as well as hissing or trumpet sounds. To do this, the bird draws a sufficient amount of air into the crop and pushes it with force towards the esophagus. The result is something like a lion's roar.
One male is capable of fertilizing several females, so ostriches do not form pairs for life. After the mating process, the male digs a nest in the sand, up to half a meter deep, after which all females lay their eggs in this nest.
Important point! Ostrich eggs weigh from one and a half to two kilograms, while their length can be up to 20 centimeters, and their diameter reaches 13 cm. The thickness of the shell is about 0.5 mm, and their texture can be either smooth or rough , both shiny and matte.
The eggs can develop within a maximum of one and a half months. At night, the eggs are incubated mainly by the male, and in the daytime - mainly by the female, since her plumage color blends with the surrounding landscape, which allows her to be perfectly camouflaged.
Often, especially during the day, a clutch of eggs is left unattended and the eggs are warmed by the natural heat of the sun. In groups where there are many females, a large number of eggs are laid in the nest, so some of them do not hatch fully and offspring do not emerge from them.
Before being born, ostrich chicks try to make several holes in the shell with their beaks. After this, the chick hits this area with force with its head, getting out of the shell.
In this regard, in many ostrich chicks, after birth, injuries in the form of hematomas can be seen in the head area. All eggs from which the chicks are not born are mercilessly destroyed by the parents, and the flies that flock to the destroyed eggs provide excellent food for ostrich chicks.
Once born, ostrich chicks weigh a little more than 1 kilogram, have good vision, are well developed physically and are covered with light down. Already on the second day after birth, the offspring, together with their parents, go in search of food. For the first two months, the chicks are black and yellowish in color, with the crown area having a characteristic brick color.
It is important to know! Ostriches living in humid climates breed from June to mid-October, while those living in desert areas breed all year round.
Some time passes and the offspring begin to be covered with plumage characteristic of a particular subspecies. Males and females have some problems in terms of further raising their offspring, since they have to literally fight with each other for the right to further care. Female African ostriches can lay eggs for 25 years, while males maintain their productivity for 4 decades.
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
Population and species status
Back in the 19th century, they began to practice keeping ostriches in captivity, creating special farms. This made it possible, in conditions of a sharp reduction in the total number of ostriches, to preserve the population of these flightless birds living in natural conditions. Nowadays, dozens of countries have special farms where ostriches are bred.
Special farms made it possible not only to preserve ostrich populations in the wild, but also to obtain expensive feathers and leather, as well as meat that tastes like beef. The lifespan of ostriches is quite impressive, as they live up to 80 years. Due to the fact that ostriches are kept en masse in captivity, the risk of their disappearance from the natural environment is minimal.
Small brain size
Man often disdained this bird, considering it the stupidest divine creature. Scientists confirm this opinion, citing as evidence the Bible and research results, where it is written in black and white that the size of an ostrich’s eyes is larger than its brain.
German zoologist Alfred Edmund did not particularly respect this bird: “I have been studying the lifestyle of ostriches for a long time, and therefore I will not refute public opinion. Yes, this bird is one of the most stupid creatures known on our Earth. They gather in packs, obey not only the leader, but also their teacher, and also feel free only in the area to which they are accustomed.
This is where their options end. Obeying the call of instincts, ostriches can offend any animal, or during a fit of anger, swallow everything that fits into their mouth. If a similar desire does not arise, you can even walk towards them, they will not even show that they have noticed it.
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Domestication of ostriches
Back in 1650 BC, there were attempts to domesticate this bird in the territory of Ancient Egypt by the Egyptians. Only in the 19th century, the first ostrich farm began operating in South America. Then similar farms began to appear, like mushrooms after rain, in African countries, North America, and also in southern Europe. Being in captivity, ostriches do not require special conditions of detention, but they are distinguished by high endurance.
Ostriches that live in African countries easily get used to the conditions of the northern regions. In this regard, the practice of keeping such birds is gaining momentum every year. Despite the fact that African ostriches can easily tolerate frosts down to -30 degrees, they do not feel comfortable in conditions of sudden temperature changes. Ostriches are negatively affected by drafts and wet snow, which can cause them to get sick and die.
There are no problems when organizing the diet, since ostriches eat almost everything, although they do not eat so little. For every day you need at least 5 kg of food, and the food should be varied, enriched with minerals and vitamins. This is especially true for young animals, which must receive enough protein food to promote active growth.
It is permissible to feed a domestic ostrich:
- Corn grains or corn porridge.
- Porridge made from wheat grains.
- Porridge based on barley and oats.
- Chopped greens of nettle, alfalfa, clover, etc.
- Crushed vitamin hay from the same herbs.
- Herbal flour.
- Root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, beets, etc.
- Fermented milk products, in the form of cottage cheese, milk, etc.
- Any kind of trash fish.
- Meat and bone meal and fish meal.
- Crushed egg shells.
It is important to know! Ostrich farming in our time is a separate branch of poultry farming, which allows us to obtain delicious meat, eggs, and ostrich skin.
Ostrich feathers, which have an attractive decorative appearance, are considered an equally valuable product. Ostrich fat has a number of useful functions, since it does not cause allergies and helps wound healing, eliminating various inflammatory processes. Therefore, we can safely say that in our time, keeping ostriches at home is a promising and profitable business.
Black African ostrich. Reproduction and content. Zoo farm "Alexin-ostrich".
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.
