They are the only birds with two toes per foot that can propel them to sustained speeds of 35 mph with bursts to 45 mph. Show Ostriches can lay eggs until 40 years of age and lay the largest of all bird eggs, weighing 3-5 pounds each — yet relative to the size of the bird, they are the smallest. Each ostrich egg is equivalent in size to 18-24 chicken eggs! The contents of each emu egg are the equivalent of 10-12 chicken eggs! Ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand! Ostriches Co-parent — the female will sit on the eggs during the day, and the males will at night. The female’s light coloring helps her blend into the sand better during the day, while the male’s darker coloring offers nighttime protection of the nest.  Male ostriches are quite strategic in protecting their colonies. They will feign injury to lure predators away from chicks and females. They will fight when they have to and can kill with one kick. Not even a lion will prey on a healthy mature ostrich. Ostriches grow a foot per month until they reach 8 or 9 feet tall. Ostriches have no teeth. They swallow pebbles to help grind the food in their gizzards. Ostrich meat is low in fat and cholesterol. The flavor is often compared to lean beef. It is high in calcium, protein and iron. Ostriches are large, flightless birds that have long legs and a long neck that protrudes from a round body. Males have bold black-and-white coloring that they use to attract females. Females, on the other hand, are light brown. Ostriches are bigger than any other bird in the world. They can grow up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall and can weigh up to 320 pounds (145 kilograms), according to the African Wildlife Foundation (opens in new tab), and an ostrich's eyes are 2 inches (5 centimeters) in diameter — the largest of any land animal. The ostrich is the only bird that has two toes on each foot. All other birds have three or four toes, according to the American Ostrich Association. Where do ostriches live?Wild ostriches live in the dry, hot savannas and woodlands of Africa. They once roamed all over Asia, Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, but because they have been hunted so extensively, wild ostriches' range has been reduced to sub-Saharan Africa, according to the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology (opens in new tab). However, ostriches can be found in captivity all over the world. What do ostriches eat?Ostriches are omnivores, which means they eat both vegetation and meat. Although they prefer plants — especially roots, seeds and leaves — they also eat locusts, lizards, snakes and rodents, according to the San Diego Zoo (opens in new tab). They also eat sand and pebbles, to help grind up their food inside their gizzard, which is a small pouch where food is crushed and ripped up before it reaches the stomach. Ostriches don't need to drink water; they get all the water they need from the plants they eat. However, they do drink if they come across a watering hole. Mating habitsMale ostriches are called cocks or roosters, and females are called hens. A group of ostriches is called a flock. Flocks can consist of up to 100 birds, though most have 10 members, according to the San Diego Zoo. The group has a dominant male and a dominant female and several other females. Lone males come and go during mating season. To get a female's attention, males bow and flap their wings outward to display their plumage. When they are ready to mate, the male's beak and shins will turn bright red. Sometimes, his neck will change to a red color to match. Females also change color when they are ready to mate. Their feathers will turn a silvery color, according to the American Ostrich Association (opens in new tab). Ostrich eggs & baby ostrichesOstrich eggs are 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter and can weigh up to 3 pounds (1.3 kg). Eggs are laid in a communal nest called a dump nest, which can hold about 60 eggs at one time. Males, as well as females, sit on the eggs until they hatch, which can take 42 to 46 days. Ostrich offspring are larger than any other bird baby. At birth, chicks can be as big as chickens. The males and females share the responsibility of taking care of the young, according to the San Diego Zoo. During an attack, the male tries to lure the predator away from the chicks while they run for cover with the female. By six months, a chick is almost at its full-grown height; at 3 or 4 years, it will reach maturity. An ostrich can live 50 to 75 years. Classification/TaxonomyAccording to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (opens in new tab) (ITIS), the taxonomy of the ostrich is as follows:
Conservation statusAccording to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List (opens in new tab), most ostrich subspecies are not endangered, though their populations are declining. The Somali ostrich is listed as vulnerable (opens in new tab), though their population is unknown. It is believed that they are on a rapid decline. Other factsIt may seem amazing that an ostrich's thin legs can keep their large bodies upright. Their legs are perfectly placed so that the body's center of gravity balances on top of its legs. Their thin legs give them great speed and maneuverability, too. They can run up to 40 mph (64.3 km/h) for sustained periods of time, according to the American Ostrich Association. Contrary to popular belief, ostriches don't bury their heads in the sand, but they do lie down with their heads against the ground when they feel threatened. It only looks like the ostrich has buried its head because its head and neck blend in with the color of the sand. Ostriches fight with their feet. They kick forward because that's the direction in which their legs bend, according to the American Ostrich Association. A solid kick can kill a lion. Ostrich feathers look shaggy because they hang loosely and don't hook together like feathers on other types of birds. How much does it cost for an ostrich egg?Ostrich eggs are expensive, relative to chicken eggs. The average ostrich egg price is around $30.
How big is the biggest ostrich egg?Ostrich egg dimensions
The shell is around 3.5mm thick. They're creamy white with small pits. The average weight is more like 1.4 kilograms (3.1lb), but the record holder weighed 2.589kg (5lb 11.36oz) and was laid at a farm in Borlänge, Sweden, on 17 May 2008.
Can a human stand on an ostrich egg?One ostrich egg can take the weight of about 220kg vertically and 120kg horizontally. This means you can stand on ostrich eggs and they will not break. The egg shell is 2mm thick which sounds like nothing but is the strongest shell of any egg.
What is the equivalent of 1 ostrich egg?Each ostrich egg is the equivalent of 24 chicken eggs, so you will not be able to eat a whole ostrich egg by yourself!
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How much does an ostrich egg weigh
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