The African ostrich is a bird that can fly, and it is native to Africa. They are one of the largest birds in existence. Although they are unable to fly, they can run at speeds of up to 43 miles an hour. They can run up to 16 feet per minute with their powerful legs.
Ostriches are different birds than most of the birds we see in our backyards. Ostriches can reach 9 feet in height and weigh as much as 290 pounds. They make up for their lack of flight ability by running and kicking power. How does their anatomy compare to feathered friends? Are ostriches as hollow-boned as other flighted birds? Yes and no. Ostriches have hollow bones, but their femurs are hollow.
What is a Ratite?
An ostrich can be described as a ratite or a flightless bird. A ratite bird is one that has a flat or ratite breastbone and no keel. The emu and cassowary are also ratites.
The keel extends from the sternum to attach to the wing muscles of a flighted bird. This structure gives birds leverage to fly. Flight is impossible without a keel.
Why do birds have hollow bones?
To fly, birds that have flown have hollow bones. These bones are called pneumatized bones. These bones contain air sacs that supply oxygen to the blood. This allows birds to fly with more energy and oxygen. One of these bones would look like a sponge if you looked inside. This adds strength to the bones.
As is commonly believed, these bones do not make birds lighter to fly. Although bird bones aren’t heavy, they are heavier than similar-sized mammal bones. A 2-ounce mouse, for example, has a lighter bone structure than a 2-ounce bird. To prevent them from breaking, the bones of birds are stronger and heavier.
Ostrich Anatomy
Ostriches don’t have much to hide because they live on open ground. They are also prey animals. Their speed and kicking power are their two main defenses against predators. They must run from danger so they have large hearts that supply blood to their muscles. They can run at maximum speed for 30 minutes before they need to stop.
They have strong thighs and two toes on their feet. Their weight is carried by their large toe, while their balance is maintained by the smaller toe. The only bird with two toes on each leg is the ostrich. Other ratites only have three toes, while flighted birds have four.
An ostrich’s bones look very similar to ours. You would see a solid bone structure filled with a tube containing marrow if you were to look inside. The femur and thigh bones are the only hollow bones. These bones have an air sac system that keeps them cool as they run. They can also lower their body temperature by panting.
The bones of the rest of the ostrich are solid and dense, supporting their lives on the ground.
Ostrich Kicks
An ostrich cannot outrun a predator so it will have to fight. Their powerful legs will allow them to kick with ease. They can bend at their knees to deliver powerful, forward kicks.
An ostrich kick can produce a force of up to 2,000 pounds per square inch. A professional boxer punches at 776-1,300 lbs per square inch. Ostriches can easily kill predators and humans, like lions, with one punch.
Sharp claws are another defense an ostrich can use when kicking. An inner toe has an approximately 4-inch claw, which slashes when the ostrich kicks down. This claw can either disembowel or even kill an individual. Predators can also be fatally injured by the lacerations caused by this claw.
Other defenses
In self-defense, an ostrich can drive a predator or person with its flat, bony breastplate, knocking them to the ground. The bird will then jump on top of the predator, inflicting rib fractures or other injuries.
Sometimes the ostrich will avoid danger entirely. They will not bury their heads in the sand as a common myth. Instead, they will flatten the tops of their heads and necks to the ground. The ostrich will look like a large, solid rock and predators won’t notice it.
Ostriches can be found in wild areas around antelopes and zebras. Ostriches can eat many rodents and insects that are found in the wild by antelopes and zebras. Ostriches return the favor by watching out for danger. They are able to sense danger before it comes due to their height and great hearing and vision. The other animals can be warned to flee by using a series of whistles, calls, and snorts.
Last Thoughts
Ostriches have no hollow bones like a flighted bird. Their bones are solid and full of marrow, similar to human bones. Only the femur bones of an ostrich have hollow bones. This allows them to regulate their body temperature while running at high speeds.
Ostriches are unable to fly, so they have many defenses against predators. Ostriches are known for their running skills and can also inflict serious injuries to other animals or people with their sharp claws and powerful kicks. These large birds are unable to fly but have many other traits that flighted birds lack.
Why can’t an ostrich fly?
Ostriches, emus, cassowaries, rheas, and kiwis are all unable to fly. Their flat breastbones, unlike other birds, lack the keel that anchors the powerful pectoral muscles essential for flight. Their little wings are incapable of lifting their massive bodies off the ground.
Ostriches can they swim?
Swimming by ostriches is an uncommon behavior. An ostrich can float in water and propel itself by kicking with its long legs, and this behavior has been recorded in a variety of conditions.
Can ostriches fly?
Furthermore, ostriches may reach heights of more than 8 feet while emus can reach heights of more than 6 feet. These birds do not fly, but they do jump.
What animals are incapable of swimming?
There are about 8 million animal species on the planet, yet only a few of them can swim. Swimming is impossible for chimps, gorillas, tortoises, hippos, and giraffes due to their physical structure.
Do ostriches consume meat?
Ostriches are omnivorous, which means they eat a wide variety of plants and animals. Ostriches are very adaptable eaters, and wild ostriches and farmed ostriches may have distinct diets.
Ostriches have eight hearts, correct?
When threatened, ostriches do not stick or bury their heads in the sand, contrary to common assumptions and folklore. They just rest their necks and heads on the ground. The myth that ostriches have several hearts is equally untrue. They have a single heart.
Do ostriches lay eggs in the absence of a male?
Except for ostriches, only the male cares for the offspring in all ratites. In ostriches, each male has a primary female who takes turns incubating eggs with him, even though other ladies may deposit eggs in the same nest as other men.
Are ostrich bites painful?
So, while ostriches do not have teeth, they may bite or grab with their beaks, which can be unpleasant. However, it is vital to note that an ostrich’s devastating kicks with its two-toed legs can be far more damaging than its bite.
What is an ostrich’s skeleton?
Yes, on the major portion of their bodies and some on their heads. Skull form is small and pyramidal or triangular form. Pneumatic bones and large eye apertures (full of tiny holes).