Ostriches live in nomadic groups of 5 to 50 birds that often travel together.
Ostriches can tolerate a wide range of temperatures.
The life span of an ostrich can extend from 30 to 70 years.
Today, ostriches are bred all over the world, including climates as cold as that of Sweden. They will prosper in climates between 30 and −30 °C, and are farmed in over 50 countries around the world, but the majority are still found in Southern Africa. Since they also have the best feed to weight ratio gain of any land animal in the world.
Adaptation of the ostrich
The ostrich is very adaptable and thrives under extreme conditions. It has a remarkable tolerance to heat, withstanding air temperatures of 56°C without undue stress. Ostriches rarely seek shade, as most desert animals regularly do. They normally avoid areas of thick bush or heavy tree cover, and inhabit wooded grasslands and other open country.
Ostrich eggs
As befits the world’s largest bird, the ostrich lays the largest egg of any living bird. Oddly enough, however, the ostrich egg is one of the smallest in relation to the size of the bird. Measuring 17 to 19 cm in length, 14 to 15 cm in width and weighing up to 1 900 g, the ostrich egg is only just over 1 percent of the female’s body weight
An ostrich’s nest
Ostriches become sexually mature when 2 to 4 years old; females mature about six months earlier than males. The species is iteroparous, with the mating season beginning in March or April and ending sometime before September. The mating process differs in different geographical regions. Territorial males will typically use hisses and other sounds to fight for a harem of 2 to 5 females (which are called hens). The winner of these fights will breed with all the females in an area but only form a pair bond with one, the dominant female. The female crouches on the ground and is mounted from behind by the male.
