Ostrich

Description:

The largest living bird in the world. They are flightless, and instead are built for running. They can do a short burst sprint up to 43 miles per hour and can maintain a speed of 31 miles per hour. Their wings help them maintain balance when running, but are mainly used for communication and courtship.

Habitat:

Hills and plains of Cape Point Nature Reserve.

Notes:

- Ostrich do NOT bury their heads in the sand. It only appears so because when they can’t run from danger, they flop to the ground and lay still. The color of their head blends in with the sand. - Ostrich only have two toes—all other birds have three or four toes. - An ostrich egg can weigh about 3 pounds. That’s equivalent to 2 dozen chicken eggs. - An ostrich’s eye is almost two inches across—the largest of any land animal. It has 3 sets of eyelids.