Ostrich photographs by Yvonne van der Mey

The Ostrich is the largest, living bird on this planet. The males can get as tall as 2.7 metres. They are very heavy birds, and can weigh as much as 130 kg, which is also the main reason that they can't fly. Another reason is because of the way that their feathers are constructed. They are not like the feathers of other birds, which are stiff and hollow. The feathers of an Ostrich are very soft and serve as insulation, both against that heat and cold.

However, they have found their way of surviving. They can run extremely fast, up to 70 km per hour. They are also no easy prey for predators. With their long and powerful legs, with two toes like hooves, they can easily damage a predator severely.

Ostrich reproduction is pretty odd. They live in groups of 5 to 50 animals. All the females drop their fertilized eggs into a single nest, a simple pit in the ground. An Ostrich egg can weigh up to 1.4 kg. The males take care of the hatchlings. He will defend them and teach them what to eat. A very modern father one could say.

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