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| Ostrich,
common name for a large, flightless bird, now found only in Africa,
but formerly found in the Middle East, where it is now probably
extinct. Ostriches are the largest and strongest of living birds,
attaining a height from crown to foot of about 2.4 m (8 ft) and
a weight of up to 136 kg (300 lb). They have long necks and small
heads, with large eyes and short, broad beaks. They spread their
small wings when running and have long, powerful legs that are used
for defense. The feet have only two toes. Male ostriches are black,
with white wings and tail. The white feathers of the male, which
are large and soft, are the ostrich plumes of commercial value.
The female is a dull grayish-brown.
Ostriches are rapid runners and can reach speeds of about 65 km/hr (40 mph). The males are polygamous and travel about with three or four females, or in groups of four or five males accompanied by mates and young. The females lay their yellowish-white eggs together in a single large depression in the sand. The eggs weigh about 1.4 kg (3 lb) each and have a volume of about 1.4 liters (3 pt). The male sits on them at night, and the female incubates them by day. In the last half of the 19th century, ostrich farming or the breeding of domesticated ostriches for their plumes was carried on extensively in South Africa, Algeria, Australia, France, and the United States. Ostrich plumes were used in hat-making and dressmaking. Farming declined as the demand for ostrich plumes became almost negligible; however, the introduction of ostrich hide as a luxury leather and the use of its flesh as meat has renewed interest in ostrich farming, even in Great Britain. South Africa is responsible for 95% of global ostrich production, and African Ostrich Marketing is your main door into this market. Scientific classification: The ostrich makes up the family Struthionidae and the order Struthioniformes. It is classified as Struthio camelus |