The largest bird on earth cannot fly!

At 2.5 m (8 ft.) tall, the ostrich is the world’s largest and heaviest bird. Weighing up to 145 kg, it is too heavy to fly. But the ostrich has many unique abilities that make it well-adapted to living in the savanna, desert, and open woodlands of central and southern Africa. Equipped with long, muscular legs built for running, they can sprint as fast as 70 km/h (43 mph) and hold steady speeds of 50 km/h (31 mph). When confronted with danger, ostriches can usually outrun any animals posing a threat.

If fleeing the scene is not an option, ostriches use their powerful legs to kick. With a 10-cm talon on each foot, their downward kicks can cause serious harm to potential predators. Despite popular belief, ostriches do not stick their heads in the sand when threatened. Sometimes ostriches flop on the ground with their heads outstretched in front of them.

Because the ostrich has an elongated neck and large protruding eyes shadowed by long lashes, it has been likened to a camel. (Its scientific name is Struthio camelus!) Their diet consists mainly of roots, leaves, and seeds, but ostriches will eat whatever is available. Sometimes they consume insects, snakes, lizards, and rodents, making them omnivores.

During breeding season, the dominant male performs a flashy courtship dance by shaking his wings and tail feathers. If the main hen is impressed, the two will mate. Then the male scratches out a shallow pit in the dirt to create a nest. The female will lay around 7-10 eggs in the nest, and the other females place their eggs to the outside. The communal nest may have as many as 60 eggs in it! Both the male and female ostriches take turns incubating the eggs.

Each egg is 15 cm (6 in.) long and weighs 1.5 kg (3 lb.). Ostrich eggs are the largest in the world!

If the eggs are kept safe from hyenas, jackals, and vultures, they hatch after around 6 weeks. The chicks are born about the size of a chicken and grow 30 cm each month! Chicks are born with a spiky, greyish-brown down. They grow brown feathers after 4 months. Then around 3-4 years, ostriches reach maturity. Males develop a striking black and white plumage while females continue to have a brown plumage.