Did you know?
Measuring 2.75 meters at skull height and weighing up to 150 kg ostriches are the largest living birds today. Although they are fl ightless birds they are excellent runners with the ability to reach speeds of up to 70 km/h. They use their powerful and sometimes fatal kicks as a defence mechanism against enemies such as lions. With a diameter of fi ve centimetres, ostriches have got the largest eyes of all vertebrates on land.
Characteristics
| Classification | Order: ratites, family: struthio; a subspecies of the African ostrich |
|---|---|
| Habitat | Open savannah, steppes, semi-deserts and deserts |
| Reproduction | Mating season: spring; brooding 36–45 days, 12–15 eggs; weight at hatching: ca. 1 kg; young birds fl edge the nest at 3–4 days; maximum lifespan: 50–60 years; Ostrich eggs weigh ca. 1.5 kg and are 25 times heavier than chicken eggs. |
| Diet | Grasses, shrubs, dry plants, insects and small vertebrates |
Status according to Red List
More information you will get on the web page of the IUCN Red List.
