The tallest and heaviest living bird, flightless and native to parts of Africa. It lays the largest eggs of any living bird and is the fastest runner on two legs.
Quick answers
What is it?Bird
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?Can be
If cornered, an ostrich can attack with a powerful kick.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?Yes
Ostriches are farmed around the world for their meat, feathers and leather.
At a glance
Found inAfrica
HabitatGrassland, Desert, Scrub
ColoursBlack, White, Brown
SizeHuge
Height2.1–2.75 m (males)
Weight100–130 kg (males)
Legs2
Covered inFeathers
Lives ingroups
Lives for40–45 years
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Parts of Africa, and historically Arabia.
- What it eats
- It swallows sand and pebbles, which help grind food in its gizzard, and can go days without drinking.
Did you know
Lays the largest eggs of any living bird.
It can run for a long time at 55 km/h, with short bursts of about 70 km/h.
Often confused with
- Emu
The Australian emu is smaller, the third-tallest living bird after the two ostrich species.
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