Ostrich - National Geographic Kids

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GamesQuizzesPersonality QuizzesPuzzlesActionFunny Fill-InVideosAmazing AnimalsWeird But True!Party AnimalsTry This!AnimalsMammalsBirdsPrehistoricReptilesAmphibiansInvertebratesFishExplore MoreMagazinehistoryScienceSpaceU.S. StatesWeird But True!Subscribemenu An ostrich stands up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall. That's much taller than the average man.

An ostrich stands up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall. That's much taller than the average man.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Although the huge ostrich is a bird—with wings and feathers—it does not fly. It runs.

Although the huge ostrich is a bird—with wings and feathers—it does not fly. It runs.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Ostriches can run at a speed of more than 30 miles (48 kilometers) an hour over longer distances.

Ostriches can run at a speed of more than 30 miles (48 kilometers) an hour over longer distances.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Ostrich eggs hatch after about 40 days of incubation.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Young ostriches grow about 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 centimeters) a month for the first six months of their lives.

Young ostriches grow about 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 centimeters) a month for the first six months of their lives.

Please be respectful of copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited.1 / 51 / 5An ostrich stands up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall. That's much taller than the average man. An ostrich stands up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall. That's much taller than the average man. Photograph by Tim Laman

Animals
Birds

Common Name: OstrichScientific Name: Struthio camelusType: BirdsDiet: OmnivoreGroup Name: HerdAverage Life Span In The Wild: 30 to 40 yearsSize: 7 to 9 feetWeight: 220 to 350 pounds

In one stride, an ostrich can cover up to 16 feet (4.9 meters)—about the length of a mid-size family car! The bird is speedy, too. It can run just over 40 miles (64 kilometers) an hour for a short distance, and can keep up a speed of more than 30 miles (48 kilometers) an hour over longer distances. The ostrich uses its short wings for balance, holding them outstretched when it runs.

Strong legs can also be used for self-defense. An ostrich will kick with a force mighty enough to kill a lion.

Check out where ostriches live.National Geographic Maps

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When danger approaches, an ostrich will often lie low to hide, stretching its neck along the ground. Its feather colors blend with the sandy soil where it lives. From far away, it looks like the ostrich has buried its head in the sand. Many people thought that was what ostriches did when they were trying to hide, but that is a myth. Ostriches live near grazing animals such as wildebeest, antelopes, and zebras. The grazers stir up insects and rodents for the ostriches to eat, and the ostriches warn the grazers to dangers such as approaching lions.

An ostrich group, called a herd, numbers about 12 individuals. Male ostriches compete for control of a group of several females. A herd has a dominant male and a dominant female. She mates only with him, though he may mate with other females as well. All the egg-laying females, called hens, lay their eggs in the nest of the dominant female. Then that female—whose eggs are positioned in the center of the nest, the most well-protected spot—and her mate take care of all the eggs in that one nest. Each egg can be up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) long and weigh 3 pounds (1.5 kilograms)!