Ostrich

1. Ostrich Student Name

2. Environment Ostriches occupy savanna regions with semi-arid, tropical conditions.  These regions are found both north and south of the forests that are found in the equitorial regions of Africa. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/ostrich/

3. Ostrich Adaptations Physical:The wing bones of ostriches are the same as other birds, but ostriches cannot fly. Their need for flight diminished since their long, powerful legs enable them to outrun most predators at speeds up to 43 mph. If cornered, a single kick with their powerful legs can also be fatal to its enemies. However, ostriches use their wings for mating rituals. Behavioral: Ostriches stretch out their neck and lay their head on the ground to keep from being seen, but they do not bury their head in the sand! The males build the nests, help incubate the eggs, and care for the young birds. If the females had to stay on the nests all the time, they would not be able to look for the large amount of food it requires to produce more eggs.

4. Environmental Interactions Female Ostriches’ plumage matches the dry grass around them. They can camouflage themselves to evade predators.

5. Evidence for Evolution • Homologous: The ostrich shares a homologous structure with a dove because they both inherited wings from a common ancestor.

6. Ostrich Fun Facts • The ostrich is the largest living bird-up to 9 feet tall and 345 pounds. • Some ostriches can live to be 70 years old. • One ostrich egg equals up to 24 chicken eggs. • The ostrich has the biggest eyeball of any bird-they are 2 inches across. • A female ostrich can recognize her own eggs, even when mixed in with the eggs of other females.