The African ostrich, Description, Plumage of the male and female, Habitat and distribution, The diet and Reproduction of ostriches

Description of the African Ostrich

The African ostrich is a large bird in the family Struthionidae. It is the largest living bird and the heaviest living land bird. The largest bird currently living is massive. The male ostrich is the tallest and heaviest bird alive today. He is typically around 2.5 meters tall and can weigh up to 150 kilograms. The ostrich has a large and sturdy body, with long legs that support it well. Its head is small in comparison to its body, and its neck is very long. The head, two-thirds of the neck, and paws are bare.

The color of the skin on bare parts of the body can vary depending on the subspecies. The ostrich's eyes are large compared to the size of its head, and they have long eyelashes. Ostriches are the only birds that have only two toes per foot; the smaller outer toe lacks a claw The covering feathers of the ostrich, including the remiges and rectrices, have a special structure that is reminiscent of down. This species has a pronounced sexual difference.

 The plumage of the male and female of  the African Ostrich

The male has black plumage, with white tips to the wings and tail feathers. There is a little white on the border between the bare skin and the feathers on the neck. The female has brown plumage with a lighter underside.

The plumage of juvenile ostriches varies greatly, depending on their location and habitat.

Habitat and distribution of the African Ostrich

Wild ostriches are now endemic to Africa, but their range once extended as far as Syria. The cactus are typically found in desert or semi-desert sandy regions, as well as in savannas or more or less dense arid forests. 

The behavior of the African Ostrich: 

Ostriches are poor fliers, but very good runners. Locomotion: Ostriches are good at running. Their speed on the ground is impressive; they can reach 80 km/h but are probably faster when starting. This species runs on its innermost finger.

 The diet of the African Ostrich 

The diet of ostriches varies a lot, with a predominance of vegetarian food. The forest is made up of young shoots, seeds, fruits, and small animals (mammals and worms in particular). The ostriches grind the food they eat by swallowing small stones. Ostrich's social behavior is usually clustered around groups of five to six individuals, but it is not unusual to see lone ostrich individuals or groups numbering in the dozens in the savanna. 

Ostriches, thanks to their size, see predators from a great distance, and on the savanna, they take on the role of guardian for mixed herds of zebra and antelope, with which they like to mingle When ostriches suddenly stop grazing, this often triggers a stampede of other herbivores. We sometimes see ostriches isolated during the great migrations in East Africa, following the herds of large herbivorous mammals.

Reproduction of the African Ostrich

Monogamy is more common in individuals living alone or in small groups, while polygamy is more common in groups of animals living in colonies. In the latter case, the dominant female (the "favorite") decides who the couple will be. The bond between a male and his favorite is strong even outside of the breeding season. During courtship, the male performs movements of his neck, wings, and feathers in a fan. He may also kneel on the ground to show off his plumage. 

The male ostrich is the only bird in the world to have a copulatory organ, which is located in its cloaca. This organ is used during mating to pull the female close. The male hunts down any cubs that are already with a female and then chooses the female he wants to mate with. All the females in the harem lay their eggs in the same spot, usually a simple hole in the ground. It is not unusual for an ostrich to lay up to thirty eggs in the same nest, or even sixty. 

This is due to the fact that five females will lay these eggs. The incubation of eggs is almost entirely the responsibility of the male, sometimes passed on through the favorite. In the event of danger, the male bravely defends the eggs or chicks, sometimes with the help of the favorite or even all the females. Adults take care of their young for a whole year. If there is a lot of food, ostriches will be abandoned by their parents much earlier.

The young will be taken care of by a group of females, either accompanied or not young. The adoption phenomenon is important in populations living in groups, as it helps to reduce inbreeding problems within the herd.

lifespan  of  the African Ostrich

The life expectancy of an ostrich in captivity is around 50 years.