| Size |
The average female ostrich stands about 6 ft tall, while an average male is about 7.5 ft. Males can reach almost 9 ft in height.
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| Weight |
Ostriches generally weigh between 200 and 300 lbs. although males can weigh over 300 lbs. |
| Conservation Status |
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| Diet |
Wild ostrich feed mainly on seeds and plant material, but also enjoy insects when easy to catch and available. These large birds swallow pebbles to help them grind their food. An adult wild ostrich can have over 2 lbs of pebbles in its belly. At the zoo the ostrich base diet is a commercial pellet that includes a variety of grains as well as the vitamins and minerals the birds require. Green leafy vegetables, mealworms and seeds are offered in the enrichment portion of the diet. Large grit the size of small pebbles is also provided. |
| Geographic Range |
Open, semi-arid habitats in tropical Africa |
| Where to find me in the Zoo |
African Plains |
Note: Description below should include Longevity, Behavior, and Reproduction information
Ostriches are the heaviest and largest living bird. Although they do have wings, ostriches are non-flighted. They can use these wings to maintain their balance while they achieve speeds exceeding 40 mph while running. The sexes look very different from each other. Females are mostly brown overall with wing and tail feathers of a dirty white. Males are mostly black with very white wings and tails.
Longevity
Average lifespan is about 30 to 40 years in the wild. Ostriches can live over 50 years in captivity.
Behavior
Ostriches can be very gregarious and often forage together in groups for protection against predators. Groups of over 600 birds have been recorded gathering around water holes during the dry season. Contrary to the popular myth that ostriches hide their heads in the sand, this has never been documented. When confronted with danger, an ostrich may drop down to the ground and flatten it’s head and neck on the ground while remaining motionless. In this way, a predator may overlook the bird and may have given rise to the myth. The response of choice to a threat, however, is to use their great speed to run away.
Reproduction
A male ostrich has a very elaborate courtship “dance” where he vigorously shakes his wings while his head sways from side to side as he approaches the female stomping his feet on the ground. Ostriches will often form breeding groups consisting of one male who defends a territory, a “primary” female and several other females. The male and primary female will both incubate the eggs. The other females will lay eggs in the primary female’s nest but not share in the incubation duties. Because several females lay eggs in the same nest, ostrich clutches can be fairly large. Nests have been found containing more than 70 eggs although only about 20 of these can be successfully incubated. Ostrich eggs are the largest of the bird eggs, weighing as much as 2 dozen large chicken eggs. Eggs hatch after 6 weeks of incubation and chicks are ready to leave the nest at 3 days of age, remaining with the parents for up to a year. Reproductive maturity is reached in 3-4 years.
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