Ostriches are native to Africa, but are now raised on farms around the world.
Ostriches belong to a group of birds called the ratites. This is a family of large flightless birds that includes the kiwis, emus, rheas, cassowaries and two species of ostrich. Known by the scientific name of Palaeognathae, the ratites are found entirely in the Southern Hemisphere away from the tropical regions. One unusual characteristic of this avian family is the location of the nostrils right on the hard region of the bill.
Ratite Beak Variation
Like flora and fauna of the temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere, the emus, kiwis, rheas, cassowaries and ostrich have their evolutionary origins in Gondwanaland, an ancient continent that included parts of South America, Africa, Australia and neighboring islands. From this common source the bird superorder, commonly called the ratites, dispersed to parts of the Southern Hemisphere. Collectively, these birds are unusual, because they are flightless and they have air-breathing nostrils located on their beaks.
Ostrich Diet
At 7 feet tall and a weight that exceeds 200 pounds, the ostrich is the largest bird on the planet. It also runs fast for long periods of time, able to outdistance its predators. The diet of this bird is omnivorous. The ostrich's sharp beak lets it consume grasses, seeds and bushes, while sometimes the bird feeds on trees. The speedy bird supplements its diet with small invertebrate and vertebrate animals, such as lizards and grasshoppers, which it runs down and then snatches up in its big beak.
Male and Female Beaks
One method of distinguishing a male ostrich from a female is by looking at the beak during breeding season. During this time the beak of the male will turn to a bright red, while the female's beak remains gray. However, this color change will last for only a short part of the year.
Subspecies
Originally there were five recognized subspecies of ostriches, common to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. Today, the Arabian subspecies is considered extinct. Based on DNA evidence, the Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes) can now be considered its own species. The remaining three subspecies of the common ostrich (Struthio camelus) live isolated in southern Africa as well as eastern and northern Africa. Their beaks are similar, but the eastern and northern subspecies are identified by their bright orange or red necks.
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