Ostriches are large birds that cannot fly, but move faster than a car. The different types of ostriches are: African ostrich, American ostrich Nandu and Australian ostrich Emu. The article provides descriptions of each species and provides information about the economic purpose of each bird.
Characteristics of the African ostrich
Description of the species
According to the current classification, the African ostrich is the only representative of the ostrich family. Other species of ostriches (Nandu and Emu) are considered only its closest relatives. The African ostrich is the largest in the world. The weight of the bird can reach 150 kg, and its height is 270 cm.
Compared to the powerful body, the bird's head is small. The neck is long and flexible, the eyes are bulging with long eyelashes. Birds have two powerful toes on each foot. One of them has a claw. One kick from a bird is enough to injure or even kill a lion.
Males are distinguished from females by the presence of black wings.
Ostriches cannot fly, but they run very fast. The bird's stride length is 4 m. A young ostrich can accelerate to 50 km/h. An adult reaches speeds of up to 70 km/h. Birds do not slow down when turning.
Ostriches hardly sleep. At night, they can take a 15-minute nap several times. To do this, they lower their head along the body or stretch it out on the sand in front of them. During such a break, the bird is protected by relatives.
Place of distribution
The African ostrich and its Somali subspecies live in savannas and deserts beyond the equatorial forests. Birds graze in the same territory as antelopes and zebras. They move in with their neighbors and warn them of danger, as they are the first to notice it thanks to their vigilance and tall stature.
The list of products from the ostrich diet is small:
- flowers;
- seeds;
- fruit;
- insects;
- reptiles;
- rodents;
- carrion.
Mostly babies eat animal food; adults prefer plant foods. Since the bird does not have teeth, the food it eats is ground into the stomach by eating pebbles and pieces of wood.
Birds can drink salt water or not drink water at all, eating special roots.
Reproduction
The ostrich is a polygamous animal. They gather in groups of 3-5 individuals, which are led by a single male. Such groups gather after the male performs a mating dance: standing on his knees, he flaps his wings and hits his head on his back, the dance is accompanied by screams and hisses; during the ritual, the wings can change color, becoming brighter.
The harem is headed by dominant individuals of both sexes, who participate in the reproduction of other groups. The dominant female incubates the chicks of all other females.
During nesting time, birds gather in large groups– 30 or more individuals. The male digs a nest 30-60 cm deep. Ostrich eggs are pale yellow in color and large in size - 21 cm in length and 2 kg in weight. A clutch can contain from 15 to 60 eggs. During daylight hours the female sits on the eggs, and at night the male sits on the eggs. The dominant female lays her eggs in the middle, where it is warmest and safest. Some of the chicks die. The incubation period is 40 days.
Newborns weigh approximately 1 kg, have hearing, vision and are able to move independently. The cubs develop quickly; by 4 months the weight increases to 20 kg. Up to a year old, all young animals look the same, and only in the second year of life do males acquire black wings. Birds can participate in breeding from the age of 3 years. The life expectancy of the African ostrich is on average 75 years.
African ostrich breeding
The bird is of great economic importance, so hunting for this family is very popular. Today, it has become popular and profitable to breed African birds at home, in nature reserves and zoos, so this species is not in danger of extinction.
Breeding goals of the African species:
- Feathers are used to decorate interiors and clothing.
- Ostrich leather is used in the production of clothing, shoes and accessories. Ostrich leather is very durable.
- Tasty and healthy ostrich meat is eaten.
- Eggs are also very nutritious and are used as food.
Characteristics of the Australian ostrich Emu
Description of the species
Emu - large flightless bird. Its parameters are inferior to its African relative:
- height up to 1.7 m;
- weight up to 55 kg.
Other external characteristics Emu:
- small head;
- Long neck;
- dense body;
- round eyes with thick eyelashes;
- beak Pink colour with a curved tip;
- missing teeth;
- underdeveloped wings up to 25 cm long;
- there are growths on the fingers that resemble claws;
- powerful legs;
- soft brown feathers that can regulate the ostrich's body temperature;
- the same color of individuals of both sexes.
It is not typical for Emu to live in packs, but small groups of up to 10 individuals can roam together for a period of time in search of food. During nesting time, ostriches do not roam. The Australian's cry resembles a grunt or drumbeat. Birds are able to sense danger over long distances, as they have excellent vision and hearing. Unlike its African relative, Emu sleeps at night for about 7 hours with breaks.
The speed of a scattering bird can reach 50 km/h. The length of the Emu ostrich's steps is 3 m.
The Australian breed is unpretentious to temperatures and can easily exist both at -5⁰C and at 45⁰C. Birds love to take sand baths.
Place of distribution
Emu lives in Australia. Prefers to stay away from noisy areas, dry climates and forests. They love space, so they settle in fields and clearings. The Australian species can also be found on the island of Tasmania. Its habitats are thickets, desert outskirts and grass savannas. On the western side of the island, birds migrate - in the summer they live in the north, and in the winter in the south.
Nutrition
Adult emus do not eat animal food, preferring grains, seeds, roots, fruits and plant buds. The bird will not eat grass and dry branches. Due to the lack of teeth, they are forced to swallow small stones and sand, which crush the food in the birds’ stomachs. The chicks eat insects, lizards and small rodents. Unlike the African ostrich, the Australian ostrich needs drinking water.
Reproduction
At the age of two, birds experience puberty. The male surrounds himself with several females and prepares a nest in the form of a hole in the ground, which he covers with dry leaves. After the mating season, he brings the female to the nesting site to lay eggs. One female lays up to 8 eggs. The eggs are dark blue or green color and weigh up to 900 g.
The male incubates the chicks for 56-66 days. He sits on eggs 17 hours a day, leaving only to look for food. The male also takes care of the newborn young. During incubation, it loses a lot of weight. After the birth of the offspring, the father is hostile to anything that could pose a danger to the ostrich chicks. The chicks are striped and grow very quickly. After 5-7 months, the young ostrich leaves the care of its parent.
The average lifespan of an Emu is 10 years. In the wild, birds can live up to 20 years.
Emu breeding
The Australian ostrich is bred in private farms for several reasons:
- They get ostrich meat. It has a lot of useful nutrients. Ostrich meat has similar taste qualities to beef.
- Emu oil is a natural moisturizer for the skin. It is widely used in medicine and cosmetology. It is indispensable for stretch marks, helps with joint diseases, varicose veins veins, strengthens nails, eliminates skin defects.
- Ostrich egg. It is very successful in the restaurant business.
- Ostrich leather is used to make wallets, bags and shoes. Ostrich skin aged 10-14 months is valued much more expensive.
- Ostrich feathers serve as decoration and are used in arts and crafts.
American ostrich
Description of the species
Externally, the American ostrich (Nandu) resembles its African relative. But there are significant differences:
- Rhea is inferior in size to its African relative - height 1.5 m, weight 40 kg.
- The body of the American species is completely covered with feathers, while the African has a “naked” neck.
- Nandu has 3 toes on each paw.
- Overclocking adult bird no more than 60 km/h.
The American ostrich loves water very much. It crosses water well, even with strong currents. The bird's call is similar to the screams of a cat. It is used in mating games. The bird can also hiss fearfully when danger approaches. Birds live in close proximity to cows and sheep. The South American ostrich is a diurnal bird; if the climate is very hot, activity shifts to the evening.
Place of distribution
The rhea ostrich is common in wildlife Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia. The birds were also imported to Germany, where they took root well. The American ostrich gravitates to savannas and mountainous areas.
Nutrition
The diet mainly consists of plant foods, but the menu includes mineral and animal foods. Rhea loves cereals (wheat, barley, oats), meadow grasses. In winter, it feeds mainly on vegetables (potatoes, carrots, beets). Animal food is acceptable for chicks. Chicks can be given dairy products, eggs and fish.
Reproduction
Sexual maturity in females occurs at 2-3 years, in males later - at 3.5 years. Immature females lay “empty” eggs. Rheas live in flocks of up to 30 individuals. In one flock there are most often 1 or 2 males, each of them can fertilize 7 females - the size of the group depends on this. Like the Australian Emu, it is customary for the Nandu to have the male incubate the eggs and raise the newborn chicks. The incubation process takes about two months.
Breeding Nanda
The main reason for breeding Nandus is the ostrich egg. They contain many useful substances and microelements. This product is recommended for various diets. Dietary meat of the Nandu ostrich is also valued among poultry farmers. Egg shells are used in arts and crafts.
Russian ostriches
In our country, the Russian Ostrich farm near Moscow is widely known, where African ostriches are bred and raised. At the Russian Ostrich farm you can visit excursions and exotic picnics. The Russian Ostrich company produces and sells both live birds and ostrich meat, feathers, leather and eggs.
Rheas in the wild live in savannas. In South America they can be found in Chile, Bolivia, Argentina and Brazil.
They differ from their African relatives in their smaller size and weight, and the presence of feathers on the neck. The main difference between the rhea is the presence of three toes on its foot, while the “African” has only two toes.
The female American ostrich differs from the male short neck. She is shorter and lighter in color plumage. The male has a clearly visible growth (genital organ).
Breed Features
The peculiarity of the breed is manifested in the following characteristics:
- when running, the bird raises one wing, while maintaining balance;
- weight reaches up to 50 kg, height – up to 1.5 m;
- there are sharp claws on the wings, with the help of which the rhea actively defends itself;
- does not run as fast as the African ostrich, but swims well even in stormy river;
- makes characteristic sounds, which is why it got its name;
- when danger approaches, they threaten with hissing;
- lives both in dry lands and in mountainous and lowland areas;
- hatches eggs and cares for offspring;
- valued for its dietary meat, eggs and skin.
Ostriches live in flocks of 5-30 individuals. They feel good around domestic cloven-hoofed animals, but they reliably protect their personal space, both from strangers and from their own.
South American birds are active during the daytime and lie down in the shade during hot weather. The leader of the pack is usually one male. One male can fertilize up to 7 females.
– one of the profitable areas in poultry farming.
This is justified the following factors:
- Availability of expensive dietary meat and eggs. One bird produces about 30 kg of meat, which successfully competes with beef.
- Presence of feathers and leather used in fashion and light industry.
- The presence of fat, necessary in cosmetology and pharmacology.
- Lack of competition. In Russia this is only at the development stage.
- Availability of simple . Ostriches require the same amount of attention as regular farm birds.
Breeding and growing at home
The duration of incubation of future offspring in rheas is 33-36 days. The female only lays eggs, and the males incubate. At home, for greater productivity, young animals are bred, maintaining temperatures up to 35 degrees.
After hatching the chicks, the temperature in the room is kept within 32-35 degrees, decreasing every week by 2-3 degrees, reaching room temperature.
Ostrich chicks are demanding:
- To high-quality premises, especially in the first days of life.
- To moist air. The relative humidity in the room should reach up to 70%.
- To the litter. Experts warn against laying the floor with grass or straw until one month old chicks.
Rhea is a herbivorous bird and for its normal functioning it is necessary to diversify its diet with the help of simple foods:
- plant foods are a source of carbohydrates and fiber, which are found in large quantities in corn and cereals;
- food from lush meadow grass will provide the ostrich’s body with water and facilitate the digestion of food;
- root vegetables - useful in winter as sources of vitamin-mineral complex; it is useful to give potatoes, carrots and beets;
- protein food– cottage cheese, fermented milk products, fish and eggs in mandatory should be included in the diet of both adults and young animals.
Conditions of detention and care
Hanging feeders are used to feed birds. They contain up to 4 kg of feed. The water is always provided clean and changed twice a day.
The ostrich loves daily walks at any time of the year. The optimal temperature for walking in winter is up to -4 degrees.
Rheas, like many poultry, do not require constant care. The only condition is to provide a warm room in winter, without drafts. Dry straw is used as bedding.
To properly maintain individuals you need to have:
- or a heated, lighted and dry room with a high ceiling;
- an enclosure or pen fenced with a net;
- a small pond in the paddock;
- river sand for birds to bathe in.
Although the Nandu ostrich is similar in appearance to its African relative, it belongs to a different family and order, which experts call rheas. It has more modest body dimensions and a different habitat. The rhea is often raised on farms because it can produce large quantities of eggs, meat and feathers. Find out more about this amazing bird (description of the species, nutritional diet, breeding characteristics) right now.
Under natural conditions, Nandu lives in Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, and Bolivia. Northern Rhea lives in warm climates, while Darwin's Rhea lives at altitudes of at least 4,500 above sea level.
Of all the birds known to us, scientists call ostriches the largest in the world - they grow up to 270 cm and can weigh about 175 kg. The South American ostrich, unlike its relative from Africa, can reach a height of more than 140 cm and weighs no more than 40 kg.
In appearance, the rhea is a ratite bird, which has naturally received an oval-shaped body, large legs, a long neck and a small head. Nandu's neck seems somewhat rough because it is covered with feathers.
Although Nandu does not know how to fly, he uses his wings while running - he lifts one up when maneuvering. On the feet of such birds it is easy to see not 2, but 3 fingers. This may be the reason why rheas are worse runners than other ostrich breeds.
It is believed that the Nandu ostrich is the first flightless bird, from which other species originated. The fact is that the American representative has sharp claws - their ancient ancestors also had them in the Paleocene.
Rheas are polygamous - there are usually 3 to 7 females per male, but the male is able to incubate and raise offspring. So the female's task is only to lay eggs. These ostriches live in groups and are able to graze with cows or sheep. They love water and feel great in it. When there is no body of water nearby, ostriches do this: they sleep in a cool place during the day and stay awake at night.
What does it eat?
Rheas prefer a varied diet. Their diet is based on plant foods, with smaller quantities of mineral and animal foods.
The main sources of carbohydrates and fiber are wheat, barley, corn and oats. Suitable succulent feed is hay, consisting of clover and other herbs growing in the meadow. Raw and boiled potato tubers, carrots, and beets will become sources of minerals and vitamins during the winter–autumn period.
Reproduction
In female Nandus, sexual maturity occurs at 2–3 years, and males enter this period at 3.5 years. Younger ostriches lay “empty” eggs.
When forming families, birds of 1, 2 and 3 years of laying should be kept separately. Thus, in the fall it will be easier to select individuals for reproduction. If it is not possible to keep birds separately, it is recommended to mark each one in a special journal.
It is customary to obtain young Nandas in one of three ways:
- The first assumes that parents are kept in open pens or insulated rooms. Eggs are taken from the nest for incubation, which contributes to the subsequent increase in their number. Chicks are usually raised without parents. Using this method, you can actually get about 40 eggs from each female.
- Another method is for the parents to live in closed poultry houses with year-round walking. The eggs are hatched by an ostrich. The bird owner needs to protect its offspring from predators. Although there is savings in terms of incubating eggs, the disadvantage is that the female herself hatches no more than 20 eggs.
- There is a third known method - a mixed method, when some of the eggs are placed in an incubator, and the rest are incubated by the female.
Nandu eggs
The Nandu's nest is a depression in the ground, covered with grass, which is guarded by the male. A fresh, just laid egg is sterile, but as it cools, it loses this feature, and bacteria can easily penetrate the shell. Do not wash their surface, even if it is dirty.
To stimulate high egg production, eggs should be taken from the nest at least 2 times a day. On average, an egg weighs about 620 grams. The yolk in it is located in the center and consists of light and dark layers. If the yolk is intensely colored, this indicates an increased presence of vitamin A in the female’s diet.
Nandu eggs are healthy and nutritious. They can easily replace about a dozen chicken eggs. This product is recommended for those who watch their figure, their health, or adhere to a diet.
Eggs are also used in folk crafts. The dense shell is considered valuable. From her creative people making souvenirs. It serves as the basis for beautiful paintings and even vases. In terms of its properties, egg shells are very similar to fine porcelain.
Perhaps Nandus got their name because during the mating season the female makes a sound reminiscent of this word. In general, a feature of birds is considered to be the ability to scream loudly and make hissing sounds. Sometimes from the outside they resemble the hissing of predatory animals.
Ostriches sleep in groups that live in them. For safety reasons, during the night's rest they leave a guard on duty who guards the sleep of others.
Nandu's favorite delicacy is locusts. There are cases when birds ate so much that they gained weight and were unable to run.
The ostrich defends itself from predators with its beak, as well as with the blows of its powerful legs. If necessary, he is capable of killing a fairly large predator with one blow.
Under natural conditions, birds protect their offspring from attacks by predatory animals, distracting the enemy. They fall on the sand and get up as if wounded, and at this time the kids run away to the rest of the adult ostriches. But if a predator tries to attack an ostrich at the moment of such a performance, it quickly runs away. Also, in case of danger, the bird can lie down and pretend to be dead. At the same time, she stretches her head, then she is not visible from a distance.
Video “Nandu in the National Park”
Thanks to this short video you have the opportunity to watch Nanda in his natural environment habitat - in national park Torres del Paine (Chile).
Rhea - a bird that lives in countries South America. Despite its name, this bird has great similarities with its fellow ostriches. But there are some features that make scientists doubt their relationship. The ostrich Nandu lives in Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile.
These countries have the largest farmlands that specialize in this category. The first farm where ostriches began to be bred appeared in Latin America in 1838, and since that time the breeding of these birds has been very popular.
On this moment In Latin America there are more than six hundred ostrich grounds, where large numbers of rheas live. This bird is not very similar in appearance to an ordinary ostrich; there are significant differences.
Differences between rhea and ordinary ostrich:
- There is feathering on Nandu's neck.
- The feet have three toes. The average ostrich has one less toe on its feet!
- The wings are equipped with a claw designed for self-defense.
- Low speed. This type ostriches run slowly, no more than sixty kilometers per hour.
- They swim wonderfully - their distinctive feature. Other species of ostriches are unable to do this. South American ostriches just love water treatments and spend most of their time there. This feature is caused by living in hot Latin countries.
- They are calm about the heat. In this connection, they practically sleep during the day, and are awake at night, as it becomes cool. They can be active during the day when the temperature drops slightly.
