The ostrich

📖 In short

The ostrich is the biggest bird alive, up to two and a half meters tall and heavier than two grown men! It lives on the plains and deserts of Africa, and although it can't fly, it's the fastest-running bird on land.

🤩 Did you know?

An ostrich can weigh up to 155 kilograms.
An ostrich egg is about 15 centimeters across.
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain!
The biggest toe on an ostrich's foot is about 18 centimeters long.

🔎 Find out more

🌟 A fast runner

An ostrich has two long, strong legs, and one stride can be more than 4 meters long. It can run at 65 kilometers an hour, faster than any other bird on land.

🔍 Just two toes

Each of an ostrich's feet has only two toes, and the big one has a thick, strong nail. If an ostrich is in danger, it gives a very powerful kick.

💡 The biggest egg in the world

The ostrich lays the biggest eggs of any bird: one egg weighs about one and a half kilograms, about the same as 24 hens' eggs! The male and female take turns sitting on them.

🎯 Does it bury its head in the sand?

People say ostriches bury their heads in the sand when they're scared, but that's not true! They do sometimes bend down to turn their eggs in the nest dug in the ground, so from far away it looks as if they're burying their heads.