In our article, we want to talk about the largest bird in the world, although not flying. An ostrich is a funny and unusual bird. Generally speaking, each breed is unique and has its own characteristics. Ostriches, on the other hand, fascinate with their dissimilarity to others. In our country, these beautiful birds can be found infrequently, and therefore it is so interesting to watch them.
What kind of bird?
It is believed that these special birds appeared on the planet 12 million years ago. Absolutely all types of ostriches belong to a subclass of ratites (flightless), they are also called running. Ostriches live in the warm countries of Australia and Africa, preferring semi-desert areas and savannahs.
These special birds are completely different in behavior from their counterparts. An interesting fact is that when translated from Greek, the word "ostrich" means nothing more than "sparrow-camel." Isn’t it a funny comparison for such a big bird? How can one and the same creature resemble two completely different individuals? Probably not for nothing that people who hide from problems are called ostriches. After all, there is even such a popular expression: "Hide your head in the sand, like an ostrich." Do the birds actually behave this way and why did they deserve such an unflattering comparison?
It turns out that in real life, ostriches do not hide their heads. In a moment of danger, the female can rub her head on the ground to be less noticeable. Thus, she tries to save her offspring. From the outside it may seem that the bird sticks its head in the sand, but this is completely not so. Animals in the wild have a lot of enemies: lions, jackals, eagles, hyenas, snakes, birds of prey, lynxes.
Appearance
No other bird on earth can boast such a large size. Ostrich is undoubtedly the largest bird on the planet. But at the same time, such a strong and big creature cannot fly. Which, in principle, is not so surprising. The weight of an ostrich reaches 150 kilograms, and its height is 2.5 meters.
At first it may seem that the bird is rather awkward and awkward. But this is not at all true. It simply knocks down the dissimilarity of this creature to all other birds. Ostriches have a large body, a small head, but a very long neck. The birds have very unusual eyes that stand out on the head and are bordered with thick eyelashes. The legs of the ostrich are long and strong.
The body of the bird is covered with slightly curly and loose feathers. Their color may be brown with white, black with white patterns (mainly in males). What distinguishes all species of ostriches from other birds is the complete absence of the so-called keel.
Ostrich species
Ornithologists classify ostriches as running birds, which include four families: three-toed creatures, two-toed and cassowary, as well as kiwi (small wingless).
Perhaps the most important species can be considered an African ostrich. It is his scientists who are classified as ostrich-shaped. The name itself gives us an idea of where the ostrich lives. The birthplace of birds is North and East Africa, Somalia and Kenya.
Currently, several subspecies of the African bird are distinguished: Massai, Barbary, Malay and Somali. All these types of ostriches exist today.
And here are two more species that once lived on earth, but now they are classified as extinct: South African and Arab. All African representatives are impressive in size. It is difficult to find another bird with such parameters. The weight of an ostrich can reach one and a half centners (this applies to males), but females are more modest in size.
It is also worth remembering the nanduide. This is the second species, which is often referred to as ostriches. It includes two representatives: Darwin’s Nanda and a large Randa. These birds inhabit the Amazon basin and on the plateaus and plains of the South American mountains.
Representatives of the third detachment (cassowary) live in New Guinea and Northern Australia. Two families belong to it: cassowary (cassowary muruka and ordinary cassowary) and emu.
But the last type is kiwi. They live in New Zealand and even are its symbol. Kiwis are very modest in size compared to other running birds.
African ostriches
African ostrich, although it is the largest bird on earth, is deprived of the ability to fly. But then nature endowed him with an amazing ability to run incredibly fast.
The bird has another feature that we mentioned - a small head, which gave rise to talk about the fact that ostriches have very poor mental abilities.
There are only two fingers on the legs of an African ostrich. A similar phenomenon can not be found in other representatives of the bird world. An interesting fact is that these two fingers are very different. The big one is more like a hoof, the smaller one is much less developed. However, this does not interfere with running fast. In general, the ostrich is a strong bird, you should not get too close to it, because it can hit with a powerful paw. Adults can easily carry a person on themselves. The animal can also be attributed to centenarians, since it can live up to 60-70 years.
Lifestyle
An ostrich is a polygamous animal. In nature, in the mating season, males are surrounded by a whole harem of females, among which there is the most important. This period lasts from March to October. Over the entire season, the female can lay from 40 to 80 eggs. The ostrich egg is very large. The shell on the outside is very white, it seems that it is made of porcelain. In addition, it is also durable. An ostrich egg weighs from 1100 to 1800 grams.
An interesting fact is that all the females of one ostrich lay eggs in one nest. The father of the family hatches their offspring with the female that they choose. An ostrich chick is born sighted and weighs about a kilogram. He moves well enough and within a day begins to independently get his own food.
Bird features
Birds have good eyesight and horizons. This is due to the features of their structure. A flexible long neck and a special arrangement of eyes make it possible to view large spaces. Birds are able to focus on objects over long distances. This gives them and other animals the opportunity to avoid danger in the pasture.
In addition, the bird can run perfectly, while developing a speed of up to 80 kilometers per hour. In those parts where the ostrich lives, in the wild, it is surrounded by an incredible number of predators. Therefore, good vision and the ability to run fast are excellent qualities that help to avoid the claws of the enemy.
What does an ostrich eat?
Since animals live in a hot climate, they can not always fully eat. But because they are omnivores. Of course, the main food is plants. But ostriches can eat up the remains after predators, insects, reptiles. In terms of food, they are completely unpretentious and very resistant to hunger.
Nandu
In the mountains of South America, there is a nanda. This bird is similar to an ostrich, but has a more modest size. The animal weighs about forty kilograms, and the growth does not exceed one hundred and thirty centimeters. Outwardly, Nandu does not differ in beauty. Its plumage is completely unprepossessing and rare (it barely covers the body), and the feathers on the wings are not too lush. The rhea have powerful legs with three toes. Animals predominantly feed on plants, tree shoots, and seeds.
During the breeding season, females lay from 13 to 30 eggs, each of them weighs no more than 700 grams. The male prepares a hole for the eggs and he hatches them all himself and subsequently takes care of the offspring.
In nature, there are two types of nandu: common and northern. At the beginning of the twentieth century, these animals were quite numerous, but soon found themselves on the verge of destruction due to mass extermination. And the reason is delicious meat and egg picking. In vivo, rhea can only be seen in the most remote places. Only there they managed to survive. But the rhea hastily bred on farms and kept in zoos.
Emu
Emu looks a bit like a cassowary. In length, the bird reaches 150-190 centimeters, and the weight ranges from 30-50 kilograms. The animal is capable of speeds of about 50 kilometers per hour. This is facilitated by the presence of long legs, which enable birds to take steps up to 280 centimeters long.
The emu has absolutely no teeth, and so that the food in the stomach is crushed, the birds swallow stones, glasses and even pieces of metal. Animals have not only very strong and developed legs, but also excellent eyesight and hearing, which allows them to detect predators earlier than they have time to attack.
Emu Features
Emu may have different plumage depending on where they live. Feathers of an animal have a very special structure that prevents them from overheating. This enables birds to lead an active life even in very hot periods. Emu is generally well tolerated by a temperature difference of –5 to +45 degrees. Female and male individuals do not seem to have any special differences, but they make different sounds. Females usually shout louder than males. In the wild, birds live from 10 to 20 years.
Emu have small wings, a long light blue neck with gray-brown feathers that protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation. The eyes of birds cover the migratory membranes that protect them from debris and dust in windy and arid deserts.
Emu are common almost throughout Australia, as well as on the island of Tasmania. The exceptions are dense forests, arid regions and large cities.
Animals feed on plant foods, these are the fruits of shrubs and trees, plant leaves, grass, roots. They usually feed in the morning. Often they go to the fields and eat cereal crops. Emu can also use insects. But animals drink quite rarely (once a day). If there is a large amount of water nearby, then they can drink several times a day.
Emu often become victims of animals and birds: foxes, dingo dogs, hawks and eagles. Foxes steal eggs, and birds of prey strive to kill.
Emu Reproduction
In the mating season, females acquire a more beautiful shade of feathers. They are quite aggressive and often fight among themselves. For a single male, they can fight intensely.
During the season, emus lay 10-20 eggs of dark green color with a very thick shell. Each of them weighs about a kilogram. The emu is also polygamous, and therefore several females lay eggs in one nest, after which the male incubates them. Hatched chicks weigh about half a kilogram, while their growth is 12 centimeters. At a time when the males are busy breeding, they become incredibly aggressive, and therefore it is better not to disturb them.
In Australia's wildlife, birds are protected by law, but this is just a formality. In fact, many populations have long been on the verge of extinction. Emu is a symbol and pride of the Australian continent.
From the history…
It is believed that ostriches appeared on the planet 12 million years ago. And the feather trade of these animals dates back to the early Egyptian civilizations and totals three thousand years. In some countries, even before the beginning of our era, animals were kept in captivity. In ancient Egypt, noble ladies rode ostriches on festivities. Feathers of animals began to be in great demand at the beginning of the nineteenth century, which led to a significant reduction in the number of birds. In the middle of the century, the period of rapid development of ostrich farming began. The first farm in Africa appeared in 1838. Animals were bred solely for the purpose of obtaining valuable feathers. For example, in South Africa at that time, feather exports were in fourth place after the export of gold, wool and diamonds.
Gradually, ostriches began to breed in captivity in other countries and on other continents: in the USA, Algeria, Egypt, Australia, Italy, Argentina, New Zealand. But during the period of two world wars, this type of business almost ceased to exist, and the number of farms decreased significantly.
