Common Ostrich

Common Ostrich

Description
The ostrich is the largest and heaviest living bird in the world. Males are jet black with white plumage and bright red or blue skin. Females are fairly uniform in color, with earthy gray-brown plumage and skin.
Size
Large adults can reach a height of 2.75 m (9 ft.).
Weight
Adults may weigh up to 156.5 kg (345 lbs.).
Diet
These birds feed on fruit, seeds, leaves, shoots, shrubs and succulent plants. They may also feed on invertebrates, lizards, and other small animals. Stones may be ingested to aid in digestion.
Incubation
The eggs are incubated for around 40 days.
Sexual Maturity
They reach adulthood in 3 to 4 years.
Life Span
They may live up to 40 years in managed care but their lifespan in the wild is unknown.
Range
These birds can be found throughout much of Africa including Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.
Habitat
The ostrich can be found in dry grasslands, shrublands and savannahs in sub-tropical and tropical habitats.
Population
The global population size has not been determined, but the species is reported to be frequent to abundant throughout most of its range.
Status
IUCN: Least Concern
CITES: The populations of Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sudan are included in Appendix I.
USFWS: Arabian and West African Ostrich are listed as endangered.