Can You Tell Me Something About An Ostrich?

The ostriches of Africa are the largest of all living birds. A male north African ostrich may be anything up to 2.7 metres tall and can weigh up to 156 kilograms. It is an imposing looking bird with long legs and muscular, naked thighs that ripple with muscles. Its body is covered in black plumage and it has a long thin naked neck ending in a small head.

The ostrich's wings are much smaller than you would expect for a bird of this size but they are no longer used for flying and have been reduced to two short, parasol like stumps. They are used mainly for mating displays and demonstrations of aggression.

The body plumage of the male is jet black and that of the female is brown and the outer wing feathers and tail feathers are white. The skin of the neck and legs is visible and is differently coloured depending on the species. It can be blue or pink; in the Masai ostrich, the skin of the male turns bright red during the breeding season. The females always have a greyish pink skin.