Ostriches formerly occupied Africa north and south of the Sahara, East Africa, Africa south of the rain forest belt, and much of Asia Minor. Today Ostriches prefer open land and are native to the Savannas and Sahel of Africa, both north and south of the equatorial forest zone.  In Southwest Africa they inhabit the semi desert or true desert. The Arabian Ostriches in the near and Middle East were hunted to extinction by the middle of the 20th century around 1966.

Description:- Ostriches usually weigh from 63 to 130 kilograms, with exceptional male Ostriches weighing up to 155 kilograms. The feathers of adult males are mostly black, with white at the ends of the wings and in the tail. Females and young males are grayish-brown and white. The long neck and strong legs keeps their head at 1.8 to 2.75 metres above the ground. Ostrich has just two toes on each foot whereas most birds have four. The wings reach a span of over 6 feet. The beak is flat and broad, with a rounded tip. 

Habitat:- Ostriches live in nomadic groups which contain between 5 and 50 birds. When threatened, the Ostrich will either hide itself or will run away. If cornered, it can attack with a kick from its powerful legs. Ostriches normally spend the winter months in pairs or alone.  During breeding season and sometimes during extreme rainless periods Ostriches live in nomadic groups. Ostrich often travel together with other grazing animals, such as zebras or antelopes. With their acute eyesight and hearing, Ostriches can sense predators such as lions from far away. When being pursued by a predator, they have been known to reach speeds in excess of 70 km/h , and can maintain a steady speed of 50 km/h, which makes the Ostrich the world’s fastest two-legged animal. Ostriches can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. In much of their habitat, temperatures vary as much as 40°C between night and day.

Feeding:- Ostriches mainly feed on seeds, shrubs, grass, and other plant matter; occasionally they also eat insects such as locusts. They swallow pebbles that act as gastroliths to grind food in the gizzard. An adult Ostrich carries about 1 kg of stones in its stomach. Ostriches can go without water for several days, living off the moisture in the ingested plants, but they enjoy water and frequently take baths where it is available.

Reproduction:- At one year of age, Ostriches weigh around 45kgs.  At 2 to 4 years, male Ostriches can be between 5.9 and 9.2 ft in height, while female Ostriches range from 5.6 to 6.6 ft. Ostriches become sexually mature when they are 2 to 4 years old; females mature about six months earlier than males. The species is iteroparous, with the mating season beginning in March or April and ending sometime before September. The mating process differs in different geographical regions. Territorial males typically use hisses and other sounds to claim ownership of a harem of two to seven hens. The winner will breed with all the females in an area, but will only form a pair bond with the dominant female.

The cock performs with his wings, alternating wing beats, until he attracts a mate. They will go to the mating area and he will maintain privacy by driving away all intruders.

Ostriches are oviparous. The females will lay their fertilized eggs in a single communal nest, a simple pit, 30 to 60 centimetres deep and 3 metres  wide, scraped in the ground by the male. The dominant female lays her eggs first.  Ostrich’s eggs are the largest of all eggs.   The nest may contain 15 to 60 eggs, which are, on average, 15 centimetres long, 13 centimetres  wide, and weigh 1.4 kilograms. They are glossy cream-coloured, with thick shells. The eggs are incubated by the females by day and by the males by night. The incubation period is 35 to 45 days. Typically, the male defends the hatchlings and teaches them to feed. The survival rate is low for the eggs, with an average of one per nest surviving. Predators are hyenas, jackals, and vultures.

The wild Ostrich population has declined drastically in the last 200 years, with most surviving birds in game parks or on farms.