Common Ostrich
Struthio camelus
The Common Ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a uncommon ostrich found in 29 countries, weighing about 111.0 kg. The common ostrich, or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain areas of Africa and is the largest living species of bird.
About the Common Ostrich
The common ostrich, or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain areas of Africa and is the largest living species of bird. The common ostrich is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members of the genus Struthio in the ratite group of birds. The other is the Somali ostrich, which has been recognised as a distinct species by BirdLife International since 2014, having been previously considered a distinctive subspecies of ostrich.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The common ostrich is the tallest and heaviest living bird. Males stand 2.1 to 2.75 m (6 ft 11 in to 9 ft 0 in) tall and weigh 100 to 130 kg (220 to 290 lb), whereas females are about 1.75 to 1.9 m (5 ft 9 in to 6 ft 3 in) tall and weigh 90 to 120 kg (200 to 260 lb). While exceptional male ostriches (in the nominate subspecies) can weigh up to 156.8 kg (346 lb), some specimens in South Africa can only weigh between 59.5 to 81.3 kg (131 to 179 lb). New chicks are fawn-coloured, with dark brown spots.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Germany, Portugal, New Zealand.
When to see it
The Common Ostrich can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Watch the Common Ostrich on live cams
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Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Common Ostrich?
- The common ostrich is the tallest and heaviest living bird. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Common Ostrich?
- The Common Ostrich is a huge sized bird weighing about 111.0 kg.
- Where can you see a Common Ostrich?
- The Common Ostrich occurs in 29 countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania and Botswana.
- What birds look similar to a Common Ostrich?
- The Common Ostrich is most easily confused with the Somali Ostrich.
- Is the Common Ostrich endangered?
- The Common Ostrich is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Common Ostrich for real
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