Contrary to popular belief, the ostrich does not bury its head in the ground when it’s in danger, but instead, hides or runs at the first sign of threat. Native to Africa, ostriches are found in savanna and desert regions, were they graze among giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, and gazelles. Ostriches are large, flightless birds that have long legs and a long neck that protrudes from a round body. Ostriches can go without water for days by extracting fluid from the plants they eat. Ostrich facts! Jun 29, 2016 - Explore life in a herd of the world’s largest birds. Here is a list of “Top 10 Fun Ostrich Facts”. Well, it helped that Troodon was the smartest of all dinosaurs. National Geographic Kids finds out how some of these myths started—and why they're not true. Ostrich. See more ideas about Ostrich, Ostriches, Animals. Find amazing facts about animals, science, history and geography, along with fun competitions, games and more. Skip to secondary content. Get to the root of the question: Do ostriches really bury their heads in the sand? Struthio camelus. For more videos about wildlife please subscribe :) Royalty free content brought from pond5.com and/or bigstockphoto.com It is well-knwon for its long bare neck its slender lower legs, and the muscular thighs that carry its large plumage-covered body. Both males and females have white feathers on their wings and tails. Ostriches have long legs and a long neck, but they have a small head.Male ostriches have black feathers and female ostriches have gray and brown feathers. 1 National Geographic, 2020. Learn more at Animal Fact Guide! An ostrich has just two toes on each foot, unlike other birds. The greater rhea is the largest of all South American birds and is related to ostriches and emus. Instead it runs. These tail feathers, or coverts, spread out in a distinctive train that is more than 60 percent of the bird’s total body length and boast colorful "eye" markings of blue, gold, red, and other hues. Ostriches eat plants or small land animals and insects, and can go without drinking water for long periods of time, because they absorb moisture from their food. history facts that will wow your friends and family. While the huge ostrich is a bird, it does not fly. Discover bloody battles, mighty monarchs and fierce warriors and uncover incredible (and often horrible!) Today, ostriches are farmed and hunted for feathers, skin, meat, eggs, and fat — which, in Somalia, is believed to cure AIDS and diabetes. Troodon was a slender little meat eater. The facts about the fastest bird on the planet will definitely amaze you! One stride can cover up to 16 feet (4.9 meters)—about the length of a mid-size family car! Ostriches are the fast runners of any birds or other two-legged animal and can sprint at over 70 km/hr, covering up to 5m in a single stride. Facebook; Prev Article Next Article . Emus can dash away at nearly 50 km (30 miles) per hour. Physical Description. As human populations grow, they expand into areas where wildlife once roamed freely. Ostrich Facts. Here are eight more interesting facts about these odd birds that you may not know: Feeding: Ostriches will eat anything including grass, plants, fruits, flowers, seeds and even insects and reptiles. Appearance. MOST POPULAR . The bird is speedy, too. Male ostriches can be 1.8 - 2.7 meters / 6 – 9 feet tall, while female ostriches are 1.7 – 2 meters / 5.5 - 6.5 ft tall. Find fascinating history facts from around the globe, from ancient civilisations like Ancient Egypt and incredible kingdoms to lost cities and gruesome legends — perfect for young historians like you!. Nine Interesting Facts about Ostriches. Peafowl are among the largest of all birds that fly. If water is available, they do like to drink a fair amount. Most people have heard that an ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain. History. Amazing Facts About the Ostrich. Scientists estimate its intelligence by the size of its brain compared to its body. If not for ostrich farming, which began in 1838, then the world’s largest bird would probably be extinct. The males are called peacocks, while the females are called peahens. Ostriches have three stomachs. The ostrich is the world's largest extant bird species. At times, especially when there is no place to hide, it may just lie down with its head flat on the ground, which makes it appear as if the head is buried in sand. Search. Animal Fact Guide. About National Geographic Kids: Nat Geo Kids makes it fun to explore your world with weird, wild, and wacky videos! Asset 5 Ostriches can grow to 2.7m tall! Here are some interesting ostrich facts! Humans are encroaching on ostrich habitats. From animals and geography to science, nature and history, there are so many amazing facts for kids just waiting to be discovered by young explorers like you!. Get to the root of the question: Do ostriches really bury their heads in the sand? May 27, 2014 - The ostrich is the tallest and the heaviest of all birds. 4 years ago. The ostrich is the world's largest and heaviest bird. Check out Weird But True! Indian peafowl are a species in a group of birds called pheasants. Scientific name: Struthio camelus Family name: Struthionidae Classification: Bird IUCN status: Least concern Lifespan (in wild): 30-40 years Weight: More than 150kg Body length: 2.1-2.7m tall Top speed: 70km/h: 70km/h Some snails can hibernate for three years. Welcome to our Discover section! videos, fun facts, and more. Videos featuring awesome animals, … Find out why ants take to the skies! Both sexes are brownish, with dark gray head and neck. Click about to get started! Ostrich | National Geographic. Apr 2, 2019 - Ostrich facts: Learn about the ostrich, with facts about this big bird's characteristics, diet, habitat and behaviour, plus facts about ostrich eggs. And they are great in many other ways, too: their eggs weigh almost two kilograms, with a volume equivalent to that of about 25 chicken eggs. Ostriches have a special kind of pubic bones that are joined to hold their gut. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Heehaw Multimedia - Gordon McLachlan, L. I. Amazing facts about ostriches | OneKind 2015 ostrich - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11) ostrich - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) WRITTEN BY . Explore life in a herd of the world’s largest birds. More Cool Stuff . More information Ostrich facts! From animals to geography, take a look at these amazing—and slightly strange—facts about our world. Why did such a very big bird have such a small brain? 10 facts about flying ants! Get to the root of the question: Do ostriches really bury their heads in the sand? Siyabona Africa - Ostrich; Animal Diversity Web - Ostrich; Britannica Websites. Ready for an adventure, gang? Skip to primary content. 5. These flightless birds use their long, powerful legs to outrun trouble. Jun 29, 2016 - Explore life in a herd of the world’s largest birds. The ostrich is the largest and heaviest living bird. Thank you for listening. Unlike all other living birds, the ostrich secretes urine separately from faeces. and most importantly, discover the threats that many of these amazing animals face today. Diet Ostriches are ominvores and will … Fun ostrich facts. Animals do some pretty strange things. Aug 5, 2017 - Explore riwwenpo's board "ostrich" on Pinterest. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Depending on the season, ostriches can be found living in herds or flocks of 5 to 50, living in pairs or by themselves. Home; Animal Facts; Wildlife Blog; Fun Stuff; Teacher Tools ; Ostrich. They’re seriously tall and super speedy – check out our fascinating ostrich facts!. Get the lowdown on the world’s biggest bird! Snakes see through their eyelids. 10 terrific tiger facts! This is where you can discover some of the coolest facts for kids from around our planet. May 29, 2019 - Located The Ostrich is located in various parts of Southern, Central and Northern Africa. How did it survive among so many bigger dinosaurs? Discover. Together, they are peafowl. Troodon is also special because of its teeth. Visit National Geographic Kids today! National Geographic Kids - Ostrich facts! | National Geographic … They can only kick forward. (Ostriches, emus, and other such birds are bigger, but cannot fly.) Whether there is something special which makes this big bird one of the unique birds of the world as there are many myths about ostrich and some of the most common fun facts about the ostrich head is that the brain of an ostrich is smaller than either one of its eyeballs and each of its each eye is the size of a billiard ball. It can run just over 40 … Interesting facts about ostriches. Get to the root of the question: Do ostriches really bury their heads in the sand? Emu, flightless bird of Australia and second largest living bird: the emu is more than 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall and may weigh more than 45 kg (100 pounds). Most birds have four toes. Feathers of a mature male ostrich are black, those of the tail white, and the neck has pinkish or blue color. Main menu. With long, muscular legs, ostriches can run up to 70 km/h (43 mph). But other weird animal tales are hogwash. On that scale, Troodon was about as smart as an ostrich today. 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