The ostrich is one type of non-flying birds, and is one of the biggest birds in the world.

The ostrich is an omnivore bird unlike some other birds that are carnivores, the ostrich eats mainly grass and plants. The height of the ostrich reaches 8 meters (from the legs up to the head), it’s weight reaches up to 150 kg. The ostrich is a fast running bird, its general speed is 60 km/hr, and it can run continually on this speed for about 15 minutes, before slowing down. The expansion of its steps during running is from 6-8 meters.

The ostrich has limited intelligence. It’s head size is small, it’s brain weighs 40 gm., and the size of it’s brain it 2/3 the size of one of it’s eyes.

The ostrich has very strong eyesight, it also has a very long neck, that consist of a 19 bone vertebrae, that helps it to see higher things that other animals may not be able to see. Eyelashes, upper and lower eyelids, plus a third transparent eyelash to protect it from dust and sand surround the ostrich’s eyes.

The ostrich cannot kick with his feet in any direction but forward, with a strength of 200 lb./in. sq.  The hoof of the ostrich is fatal, so be aware, especially during marriage season and during the times they lay there eggs.

The ostrich can live to be more than 70 years old, when it’s economical production  age  its more than 40 years. It’s eggs are the biggest and heaviest eggs of all birds, It can weigh up to 1.5 kg.  Although it’s considered the smallest compared to the ostrich’s weight, where it only represents 1% of the ostrich’s weight.  

The African female ostrich (black type) lays from 8-15 eggs, then it lays on them until they hatch, before it lays anymore eggs. The eggs are collected at once for artificial incubation. The ostrich lays about 40-60 eggs per season (yearly), where some lay more than 100 eggs yearly. The fertilization rate in an ostrich reaches about 75% and the hatching is up to 90%. Almost all  the ostrich females lay there eggs during 10 days from the beginning of the male fertilization at the beginning of the season. It continues in egg production, at a rate of about 1 egg/ two days, until it’s lain 12-15 eggs. Then it relaxes for some time after which it returns for egg production.