Adaptations
Long muscular legs provide speed and powerful defensive kicks, while two-toed feet reduce contact with the ground during running. Loose plumage helps manage heat, and the wings assist with display, balance, braking, and rapid changes of direction.
Behavior and daily life
Ostriches browse and graze while moving through open habitat, sometimes associating with grazing mammals that provide additional vigilance. Several females may place eggs in a shared nest, with dominant adults taking major roles in incubation and defense.
Conservation
Current profile labelLeast Concern
The species remains widespread, but hunting, egg collection, fencing, and conversion of open habitat can cause regional losses. Conservation conditions differ among wild populations and should not be inferred from the abundance of farmed ostriches.
The ostrich is the only living bird with two toes on each foot, and the larger inner toe bears a hoof-like nail.
