What is the speed of running an ostrich in case of danger? How fast does the ostrich run?

Before the beginning of the 20th century ostriches inhabited Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, as well as south-western Asia. To date, these flightless birds live not only in the regions of Africa, but also spread to the entire continent. Despite the commercial breeding of ostriches in warm countries, such ostrich farms can be found all over the world. It is not known exactly how many individuals now live on earth.

Historical fact

It is noteworthy that in the 18-19th centuries these flightless birds were rather rare animals, as they were almost completely erased from the face of the earth because of their beautiful tail. In those days, their feathers were used extensively for outfits, and therefore the birds gradually disappeared. Despite the fact that the speed of the ostrich's run in the event of danger is striking, these birds were quite easy prey when captured by hunters. In 1838, their population again increased due to farming.

Lifestyle and nutrition

Mostly the African ostrich lives in open semi-deserts. Usually birds keep flocks or small families. In each group there is an adult male, 4-5 females and chicks. These amazing winged ones have excellent vision and are able to see the danger at a distance of many kilometers. If a stranger enters the nest, the bird prefers to flee. The speed of the ostrich in case of danger is more than 70 km / h. Each step of the path is three meters. Also, the amazing ability of ostriches is the ability to change the direction of your run without reducing the speed.

The birds feed on plants, flowers, seeds and fruits. Sometimes ostriches eat even small animals. For example, insects or locusts, sometimes it can even be a small rodent or some remains of predator prey. An adult per day needs about 3.5 kilograms of food. Just like ordinary domestic chicken, for chopping food, ostriches are forced to swallow small pebbles and other solid indigestible objects, this is because they do not have teeth. As well as many animals of Africa, they can safely manage for a long time without water, content with the moisture obtained from the plants.

Marriage period

In the process of reproduction, males try to attract females as a kind of dance. They kneel down and beat their wings on the ground, throwing back their head back so that the back of the head touches their own back. During this period of time, the neck and legs of the male acquire a bright shade. Several males compete for the attention of the female, who organize a peculiar battle. Despite the fact that running an ostrich is its special distinctive feature, in mating games they demonstrate other qualities. In order to show their superiority, one of the rivals is gaining a complete craw of air and with force pushes it through the esophagus.

At the same time, a loud hollow roar is heard. The one whose sound was louder becomes the winner and gets the female, the losing opponent goes away. The strongest male covers several companions at once.

It is noteworthy that males of ostriches, just like females, incubate chicks. In the world ostrich eggs are considered the largest, and, of course, they are an object of hunting for predators.

Hatching, the chicks weigh a little more than a kilogram, and at 4 months their weight already reaches 18-19 kg. The very next day after the hatchling hatched, he went on a quest for food with his father.

Amazing runner

As stated earlier, the ostrich does not fly, but it completely compensates for this small nuance by the ability to run fast.

The speed of running an ostrich in the event of danger develops up to 70 km / h. Birds can travel long distances without getting tired. Thus, these winged literally exhaust the predators not only by their speed and maneuverability, but also by the fact that they can run in such a rhythm for a very long time.

Interesting facts about ostriches

The speed of running an ostrich is not the only feature of these amazing birds.

Among other things, there are several interesting facts that distinguish them from other fauna:

1. By striking a leg, an ostrich can kill a lion.

2. Despite the fact that most people tend to believe that the ostrich, in case of danger, hides its head in the sand, it is worth dispelling this rumor. In fact, if a predator threatens its nest, it can only sink to the ground and put its head on the sand, thus merging with the terrain. If at the same time you are at a sufficient distance from the bird, everything looks as if she put her head in the sand. Ostrich's running in danger is his main maneuver. Despite their seemingly aggressive behavior, these birds are rather cowardly.

3. Weight of an ostrich egg can be up to 1.5 kilograms, and width can reach almost 15 centimeters. One such egg is commensurate with two dozen chicken eggs.

4. The ostrich is the only bird that does not have glands that repel water, so during the rain its plumage gets very wet.

5. In case of danger, a "winged pedestrian" can make sounds similar to a lion's roar.

6. The ostrich's eye is considered to be the largest among all known terrestrial creatures and is more than 5 cm in diameter.

7. This is the only bird in the world that can withstand the weight of a person. As is known, in some regions even ostrich runs are arranged, on which a man acts as a rider. This is quite logical, given the unthinkable speed of the ostrich's run during the danger.

8. When the chicks hatch, the female breaks the rest of the spoiled eggs, so that flies fly into them, which become food for the little birds.

By nature, these birds are quite aggressive, so do not approach them just like that and even more so provoke them to attack.

Ostrich Emu

Unlike their relatives, this representative of non-flying birds is distinguished by friendliness and curiosity. It is this quality that often turns against the most feathered giant. For example, in 1930 farmers in Australia suffered greatly from the raids of these birds, as huge creatures literally trampled the fields of wheat. Given the speed of running an ostrich in the event of danger or in a calm state, it is not difficult to imagine that from the fertile crops there was nothing left. As a consequence, the government decided to equip a real expedition with the participation of the military and declare war on feathered enemies.

Finally

Thanks to the numerous farms to date, ostriches are not at risk of extinction. And in the world their eggs and meat are widely used. Nevertheless, it is necessary to treat carefully any living creature and closely monitor the population of the species.