ostrich
Native to Africa, the ostrich is the largest living bird. Unlike most other birds, the ostrich is unable to fly. When an ostrich does not want to be seen, it lies down on the ground. The most common type is the North African ostrich, found in the region between Morocco and Sudan.
The ostrich is a tall bird. The adult male may reach a height of 8 feet (2.4 meters). The neck accounts for almost half of its height. The male weighs about 345 pounds (156 kilograms). The female is somewhat smaller than the male.
Male ostriches are mostly black, but they have white feathers on the wings and tail. The females are usually brown. The ostrich has a flat head and a lightly feathered neck. Its bill is short and wide, and its big eyes are brown with thick black lashes. Ostrich legs are strong and do not have any feathers. Each leg ends in two toes.
Ostriches eat plants and insects, and they can go without water for long periods of time. Ostriches stay in a flock of 5 to 50 birds.
To escape humans and other meat-eating animals, the bird can run at a speed of 40 miles (65 kilometers) per hour. When an ostrich is cornered, it may kick hard. An ostrich also lies on the ground with its neck outstretched to avoid being seen. This is probably the reason why people say that the ostrich buries its head in the sand when it is in danger.
An ostrich egg is the largest egg in the world. It weighs about 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms). It is 6 inches (15 centimeters) in length and 5 inches (13 centimeters) in diameter. Female ostriches lay their eggs in one big nest in the ground. There may be 15 to 60 white shiny eggs in each nest. During the day the females take turns guarding the eggs, and at night the male takes over. The chicks hatch in about 40 days. In one month they are capable of running along with the adults.
