The African Ostrich is the largest living bird on earth. It is widely distributed in Africa, living in open, dry landscapes with sandy or rocky ground. Ostriches are mainly herbivores, but also do not refuse insects and small animals. The ostrich does something unusual: to crush its food in the stomach, it eats small stones!
Ostriches are excellent runners. They can cover more than three meters in one step at a speed of 50 km / h. However, they cannot fly. Ostriches belong to the ratites (flightless and mostly large and long-legged birds). They only have two toes on each foot, however these are dangerous weapons that can even fatally injure a lion. Ostriches usually live in groups of two to five animals, and on rare occasions, there can be up to 50 or 100 animals. An ostrich hen lays ten to twelve eggs. Often, other hens add more eggs to the communal nest, called a dump nest, which can hold up to 60 eggs at one time. During the day, the hen breeds, at night the rooster takes over. The chicks hatch after 40 days and can run equally well. Ostriches like to be in the company of zebras and antelopes. This has advantages for all three species: they warn each other of dangers.
