The largest feathered animal on Earth is this massive bird. Along with its equally flightless cousins, emus, cassowaries, and kiwis, the ostrich is a member of the ratite family. Numerous additional records are also held by it. The Somali ostrich, which is located in arid regions of East Africa, is now considered by many authorities to be a distinct species from the common ostrich seen elsewhere.

Five Interesting Ostrich Facts:

Ostriches can travel up to 70 kilometers per hour. In addition to being the fastest two-legged animal and the fastest bird on ground, this is also faster than the majority of birds can fly. It can take up to five-meter strides when running at full force.

With a maximum length of 15 cm and a maximum weight of 1.4 kg, ostrich eggs are the largest of any bird. Compared to domestic chickens, they are 20 times larger. Despite this, compared to the size of the bird’s body, their eggs are the smallest.

With eyes up to 5 cm across, ostriches have the biggest eyes of any land animal. This aids in their ability to detect predators at a considerable distance. They are protected from the sun by thick eyelashes.
The notion that ostriches bury their heads in the sand was most likely originally spread by the Roman historian Pliny the Elder (AD 23–79).

They do, however, often consume gravel and tiny stones. The bird’s gizzard contains these particles, called gastroliths, which aid in breaking down its meal.

The Latin word ratis, which means “raft,” is the source of the word “ratite,” which refers to the group of flightless birds that includes ostriches. It alludes to these birds’ flat sternums, which are devoid of the robust keel that flying birds have for attaching wing muscles. Therefore, an ostrich would not be able to produce enough force to flap its wings, even if they were big enough for flight.