Khao Kheow Open Zoo

Common Ostrich (Struthio camelus)

Information English Name / Common Ostrich Science Name / Struthio camelus

Interesting :

It has 6 types which divided by the size and color of skin. It has the average height of 2.5 meters and the weight of 160 kilograms. It has a small wing which cannot fly but the leg is big and strong which has 2 toes on each foot. It can run as fast as 64 kilometers per hour. Feathers covering the body of the male are black but the feathers on wing tip are white bunch. The Ostrich has feathers only on its body and tail. Its head, neck, and leg do not have any feather. The female has dark brown feathers.

Habitat :

Lives in Africa spread over from Senegal to Ethiopia.

Food :

The food is insect, grass, leaf, some kinds of fruit and plant seed.

Behavior :

It seeks for the food in the large field and stays together in a group. It stays with zebra and giraffe troop to entrap insect and small reptiles which frightened by these animals when eating the grass. It protects itself by using its foot to kick. It is a very careful bird which enables them escaping from the carnivore.One male ostrich can control several females. The female will lay approximately 30 to 40 eggs or more in the same place. The Ostrich’s egg is the biggest egg in the world which has the size of 6 to 8 inches and the weight of more than 1 kilogram. It takes 6 weeks for incubating the eggs. The female will incubate the egg in the day time and the male will incubate the egg at night. The chick grows very fast and fully grows when it has 3 to 4 years of age.