FACTS ABOUT THE WORLD'S LARGEST BIRD

OSTRICH range found across Africa's hot Savannah's and open woodland, the Ostrich is the world's largest bird. It stands up to massive 2.7m tall and weighs as much as 159kg that's around 1m taller than the average man and the weight of two men combined.

This flightless bird has a long Barr neck, long, sturdy legs and a bulky body covered with feathers. Males and females have different coloured feathers_make sport black plumage with a white tail, and females are mostly brown. Both sexes have small heads, a short, wide beak and big brown eyes protected by long dark lashes.

Ostriches huge eyes(which are bigger than their brains) give them excellent eyesight.

The Ostrich might not be able to fly, but boy can it run! Using it's long legs, powerful thights and strong feet, this big bird can cover five meters in a single stricle and reach speeds of over 70km per hour! When zooming along at such mega speeds it holds out it's short wings to help it balance.

This brilliant bird's strong legs don't only carry the Ostrich where it want to go_they are super effective when it comes to self defense. If an Ostrich is cornerd by a hungry preator, such as loin, cheetah, leopard or hyena, it will kick with a force powerful enough to kill! And check this out, each two toed foot is armed with a ten centimeter Sharp claw, too, so predators had better beware!!!

Ostrich can reach speeds of over 70km per hour with their tall height and excellent eyesights, those creatures are great at spotting potential predators from far away. But if danger gets too close for comfort, the Ostrich will often like low to hide, stretching it's neck along the ground. It coloured feathers help it to blond in with Sandy soil where it lives. Have you ever heard that ostriches bury their head in the sand to hide? Well, as funny as that sounds, it's not true ! But from far away, depending what post the Ostrich takes, it can sure look that way, hence how the myth began.

Ostriches are mainly vegetarian, eating roots, leaves, flowers and seeds. But they will not eat insects, lizards and other small creatures, too. They generally live in the vicinity of gazing animals such as wild beast, antelopes and zebras, and together they form a great partnership_ the grazers stir up insects and rodents for the ostriro eat, and the ostriches help alert the grazers to dangers such approaching lions.

Ostriches live in groups, called herds, generally made up of around 12 individuals. Male compete with one another for control of several females (or hens), and the winners becomes the leader of the herd. Each group also has a dominant hen, she will only mate with the alpha male, but heay mate with other females in the herd as well. During breeding season, the alpha male makes a nest in the ground and attempt to attract females by, believe it or not, dancing! His impressive moves include dropping to the ground, shaking his wings and tail, and swaying his head and neck from one side to side . After mating, the hens lay their eggs in the nest. But these are no ordinary eggs, gang. They're the largest eggs in the world, averaging around 15cm long weighing up to a mega 1.5kg

The main femalay lay up to 11 eggs, whiyare positioned in the centre of the commual nest where they're safest, and the other hens lay between two or six eggs. The alpha male and dominant female then look after the nest, taking it in turns to incubate the eggs.

An Ostrich family walks across Africa's open plain.

After about 40 days, the new chicks hatch, all feathered are ready to walk! Within days, they leave the nest to follow their parents, who protect them from the hot sun or rain by keeping them huddled under their body or outstretched winhs. By the time the young ostriches are 18 months old, they are fully grown and have become record breaking birds, just like their parents. Impressive, eh.

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