Ostriches Intro to Ag

Ostriches are related to dinosaurs? True or False

TRUE! Very old animals Fossils have been found that date back 120 million years Mary Higby Schweitzer found soft tissue in a T-Rex skeleton Matches closely to that of ostriches

Ostrich Facts Birds Can’t fly Native to Africa Adult males: 7-9 ft tall, 350-400 lbs Females: 300-350 lbs. In wild, live to be 20 yrs. In captivity 30-50 yrs, even 75!

Distinguishing Sexes Male: Females Cock/rooster Black with white plumes and wing tips When breeding, bright red beak, shins, and sometimes neck Females Hens Light brown and grey Smaller than male Silvery grey during season

Reproduction Practice courtship behavior: a complicated series of displays, dancing, vocalization, and synchronous behavior Male will “build” a nest in sand Females sit on nest during the day Males sit on nest during the night

Incubator Often will be moved to the incubator to preserve the life of the eggs

Eggs Incubation: 39-59 days (42) Can lay 40-100 eggs per year, avg 60 Largest of all bird eggs Smallest in relation to body size 1 ostrich egg= 24 chicken eggs 3.5-5 lbs each

Ostrich Products Meat: Leather: leanest of all red meats 70 lbs 14 sq. ft Very exclusive Distinguishable by pattern of quill sockets Soft to touch Durable and flexible Resist cracking, drying, stiffness Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Cartier, Prada

Ostrich Products Feathers Eggs Used for decorating clothing and home furnishings Eggs Could be food decoration

Egg Crafts

Fun Fact: Ostrich can run up to 40 mph for 30 min. Second fastest land animal, 1st with 2 legs Have 2 toes, all other birds have 3 or 4 Eyes are almost 2 inches (largest of any land animal) Attracted to small, shiny objects and peck curiously at them “ostrich nurseries”

True of False Ostriches bury their head in the sand?

False Male ostriches dig holes in the sand (608ft by 2-3 ft deep) for nest When they are digging it looks from a distance as if they are standing with their heads in the sand.

True of False Ostriches are mean?

False Not all are mean Ostriches are territorial and can be unpredictable Can be aggressive and are capable of injury Have claws 4in on both feet and kick very powerfully Give warning signs

True or False An ostrich brain is the size of an eye ball?

True! Have very small brains!