Struthio camelus (ostrich) | INFORMATION | Animal Diversity Web

Struthio camelus (ostrich) | INFORMATION | Animal Diversity Web
Struthio camelus
ostrich
Features
Scientific Classification
Rank
Scientific Name
Kingdom
Animalia
animals
Phylum
Chordata
chordates
Subphylum
Vertebrata
vertebrates
Class
Aves
birds
Order
Struthioniformes
cassowaries, emus, kiwis, ostriches, and rheas
Family
Struthionidae
ostrich
Genus
Struthio
ostrich
Species
Struthio camelus
ostrich
By Keenan Donegan
Geographic Range
Up until the mid 20th century, ostriches occurred naturally in southwestern Asia,
the Arabian peninsula, and Africa. They have since been hunted to extinction except
in sub-Saharan Africa.
Biogeographic Regions
ethiopian
native
Habitat
Ostriches are currently restricted to drier and sandy regions of central and southern
Africa.
Terrestrial Biomes
savanna or grassland
scrub forest
Physical Description
Unmistakeable. Huge (stands 2 m tall), terrestrial bird. Males are black and white,
females gray brown.
Other Physical Features
endothermic
bilateral symmetry
Range mass
90 to 130 kg
198.24 to 286.34 lb
Average basal metabolic rate
69.6339 W
AnAge
Reproduction
Exact pattern varies geographically. Ostriches form bisexual groups with a complex
structure. Territorial males compete for flocks of 3 to 5 hens. Elaborate displays,
including hisses and other noises, are often used by males to intimidate each other.
Once divided into mating groups, ostriches in some areas use communal nests to hold
anywhere from 15 to 60 eggs. The nest is a hole scraped in bare ground. The average
egg is 6 inches in length, 5 inches in width, weighs about 3 pounds, and is shiny
and whitish in color. Eggs take approximately 40 days to hatch. Caring for their
eggs is divided up between males and females. Males watch over them during the night,
and the various females of the mating group take turns during the day.
Key Reproductive Features
iteroparous
gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate)
sexual
oviparous
Lifespan/Longevity
Average lifespan
Status: captivity
50.0 years
Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Behavior
Ostriches live in flocks of 5 to 50, and they are normally found in the company of
grazing animals like antelope and zebras. Flocks occupy territories of 2-15 sq km
during the breeding season, which lasts around 5 months. Smaller, looser groups of
2-5 members are formed outside of the breeding season.
Another characteristic of ostriches is that they are very fond of water. They frequently
take baths when given the opportunity.
Sometimes, in order to escape detection, ostriches may lie on the ground with their
necks outstretched. This peculiar behavior probably gave rise to the myth that ostriches
bury their heads in the ground.
Key Behaviors
terricolous
diurnal
motile
nomadic
territorial
social
dominance hierarchies
Range territory size
2 to 15 km^2
Communication and Perception
Perception Channels
visual
tactile
acoustic
chemical
Food Habits
Ostriches are herbivorous living mostly on plant matter, but they occasionally eat
animal remains left by carnivorous predators. They are very selective feeders, taking
the seed heads of grasses and certain flowers and seeds. They sometimes eat locusts.
An ostrich in captivity requires 3.5 kg of food per day. They can survive without
water for long periods of time.
Primary Diet
herbivore
granivore
Animal Foods
carrion
insects
Plant Foods
leaves
seeds, grains, and nuts
fruit
Economic Importance for Humans: Positive
Ostriches were often killed for the use of their hides, which makes a fine leather,
and their feathers. Their eggs, which are equivalent to 24 fowl eggs, are eaten by
animals as well as humans. African tribes use ostrich shells as a means of holding
water for bathing and drinking.
Conservation Status
Ostriches were almost wiped out in the 18th century due to hunting for feathers. By
the middle of the 19th century, the practice of farming ostriches began to spread.
This enabled ostriches to be domesticated and plucked, instead of being hunted and
killed. Currently, the demand for ostrich feathers has lessened greatly, and ostriches
seem to have a secure population.
IUCN Red List
Least Concern
More information
Other Comments
Ostriches are the largest living birds. Ostriches do well in captivity and may live
up to 50 years both in and out of the wild. Their powerful legs are their main defense
against natural enemies. They can achieve speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, and if
cornered they can deliver a powerful blow with their legs.
Additional Links
Encyclopedia of Life
Contributors
Keenan Donegan (author), University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.
Ethiopian
living in sub-Saharan Africa (south of 30 degrees north) and Madagascar.
native range
the area in which the animal is naturally found, the region in which it is endemic.
tropical savanna and grassland
A terrestrial biome. Savannas are grasslands with scattered individual trees that
do not form a closed canopy. Extensive savannas are found in parts of subtropical
and tropical Africa and South America, and in Australia.
savanna
A grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community
intermediate between grassland and forest. See also Tropical savanna and grassland
biome.
temperate grassland
A terrestrial biome found in temperate latitudes (>23.5° N or S latitude). Vegetation
is made up mostly of grasses, the height and species diversity of which depend largely
on the amount of moisture available. Fire and grazing are important in the long-term
maintenance of grasslands.
scrub forest
scrub forests develop in areas that experience dry seasons.
diurnal
active during the day, 2. lasting for one day.
motile
having the capacity to move from one place to another.
nomadic
generally wanders from place to place, usually within a well-defined range.
territorial
defends an area within the home range, occupied by a single animals or group of animals
of the same species and held through overt defense, display, or advertisement
social
associates with others of its species; forms social groups.
dominance hierarchies
ranking system or pecking order among members of a long-term social group, where dominance
status affects access to resources or mates
carrion
flesh of dead animals.
herbivore
An animal that eats mainly plants or parts of plants.
granivore
an animal that mainly eats seeds
endothermic
animals that use metabolically generated heat to regulate body temperature independently
of ambient temperature. Endothermy is a synapomorphy of the Mammalia, although it
may have arisen in a (now extinct) synapsid ancestor; the fossil record does not distinguish
these possibilities. Convergent in birds.
bilateral symmetry
having body symmetry such that the animal can be divided in one plane into two mirror-image
halves. Animals with bilateral symmetry have dorsal and ventral sides, as well as
anterior and posterior ends. Synapomorphy of the Bilateria.
iteroparous
offspring are produced in more than one group (litters, clutches, etc.) and across
multiple seasons (or other periods hospitable to reproduction). Iteroparous animals
must, by definition, survive over multiple seasons (or periodic condition changes).
sexual
reproduction that includes combining the genetic contribution of two individuals,
a male and a female
oviparous
reproduction in which eggs are released by the female; development of offspring occurs
outside the mother's body.
visual
uses sight to communicate
tactile
uses touch to communicate
acoustic
uses sound to communicate
chemical
uses smells or other chemicals to communicate
References
Encyclopedia Americana. volume 21. Grolier Inc., 1994 (pages 117-118).
Britannica. volume 8. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 1994 (pages 1037-8).
Brown, L. H., E. K. Urban, K. Newman. 1982. The Birds of Africa. Academic Press,
London.
To cite this page: Donegan, K. 2002. "Struthio camelus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed
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at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Struthio_camelus/
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