Ostriches. Where does an ostrich live in Russia, what is it fed with and other features of growing an exotic bird

The ostrich is the largest bird on Earth, therefore it is well known to most people. Previously, other closely related species of birds, nandu and emu, were also classified as ostriches, but modern taxonomists distinguish them into separate orders, so from a scientific point of view, there is now only one species of true ostriches - the African ostrich. Nanda and emu retained the old names of the American and Australian ostriches, although they do not correspond to the modern systematic position of these species.

African ostrich.

Huge size - that's what first catches your eye when looking at an ostrich, because this bird is not inferior in height to a large horse. The height of an ostrich from the tips of its paws to the top of its head is 1.8-2.7 m, its average weight is 50-75 kg, but the heaviest males can weigh up to 131 kg! Of course, most of the height of the bird falls on the long legs and neck, but the head of the ostrich, on the contrary, is very small compared to the size of the body. Even smaller is the brain, which in ostriches does not exceed the size of a walnut. Such a small brain size determines the low level of intelligence of these birds and indicates their primitiveness.

African ostrich female.

In addition, in the external and internal structure of the ostrich, there are enough other primitive signs. For example, feathers in ostriches grow evenly throughout the body, while in most birds they are arranged along special lines - pterylia. This arrangement of feathers is also found in nandu, emus, cassowaries, kiwis and penguins. The feathers themselves do not have a structured web, the secondary barbs of the feather do not overlap each other, but look feathered. Ostriches do not have a keel of the sternum, since their pectoral muscles are relatively poorly developed, so ostriches are completely incapable of flying. But the legs of an ostrich are excellently adapted to running. Firstly, the long paws have powerful muscles, and secondly, the ostrich has only two fingers on its paws - one huge, like a whole foot and armed with a claw, and the second is smaller and without a claw. The second finger is not a reference, but only helps to maintain balance and improves traction while running.

Ostriches are the only birds in the world that have only two fingers.

Another unique but little-known feature of ostriches is the separate excretion of feces and urine from the body. As you know, in all birds, urine and feces are excreted simultaneously in the form of semi-liquid droppings. But in ostriches, both substances are excreted separately, these are the only birds in the world that have a bladder. Ostriches do not have a goiter, but their neck is very extensible and they can swallow quite large prey whole. The eyesight of these birds is excellent. External auditory openings clearly appear on the weakly feathered head and even resemble small ears in their shape.

The most feathered in ostriches are the body, tail and wings, neck, head and upper legs are covered with short fluff and may look almost naked. The lower part of the legs is covered with large scales. African ostriches have a pronounced sexual dimorphism: males are larger and have a black color, the ends of the feathers on the wings and tail are white, females are gray-brown and smaller. In addition, different subspecies of the African ostrich may differ in the color of the beak and paws, in some subspecies they are sandy gray, in others they may have a bright pink border or be completely red.

Males of the Somali subspecies of the African ostrich have a pink beak and paws.

The habitat of the ostrich covers almost all of Africa; this bird is not found only in North Africa and the Sahara. In the old days, ostriches were found even in the regions of Asia adjacent to the African continent - on the Arabian Peninsula and in Syria. Ostriches are inhabitants of open plains, they inhabit grassy savannahs, dry woodlands and semi-deserts. They avoid dense thickets, swampy plains and deserts with quicksand, as they cannot develop a high running speed there. Ostriches are sedentary, more often found in small groups, in exceptional cases they can form flocks of up to 50 individuals, and often graze along with zebras and various types of antelopes. The flock does not have a permanent composition, but a strict hierarchy reigns in it. Birds of the highest rank hold the tail and neck vertically, weaker individuals - obliquely.

A flock of ostriches on a farm.

Ostriches are active mainly at dusk, in strong midday heat and at night they rest. The ostrich's nocturnal sleep consists of short periods of deep sleep, when the bird lies on the ground with its neck extended, and long periods of semi-drowsiness, when it sits with its neck up and eyes closed.

The ostrich is a stupid bird, but very cautious. During feeding, ostriches often raise their heads and look around with a keen eye. They can see a moving object on the smooth surface of the plain from a kilometer away. If danger is suspected, the ostrich tries to leave in advance, preventing it from approaching the predator. Therefore, the behavior of ostriches is often followed by other herbivores, which are not so vigilant and rely more on the sense of smell. If necessary, an ostrich can run at a speed of 70 km / h, that is, it freely overtakes a horse, in exceptional cases an ostrich can accelerate to 80-90 km / h (in a short distance). While running, the ostrich can make sharp turns without slowing down, and also suddenly lie down on the ground. In ancient times, the ancient Greek scholar Pliny the Elder wrote that ostriches hide their heads in the bushes, believing that they will not be noticed. There is no truth in this statement, but it took root and eventually transformed into a belief that ostriches bury their heads in the sand in case of danger. In fact, ostriches do not show any reactions similar to this statement.

It should be noted that ostriches show caution only during the non-breeding period. During incubation of masonry and caring for offspring, they turn into very bold and aggressive birds. During this period of time, there can be no question of hiding from danger. The ostrich reacts instantly to any moving object and goes across it. First, the bird opens its wings and tries to scare the enemy, if this does not help, then the ostrich rushes at the enemy and tramples him underfoot. With a paw strike, a male ostrich can break the skull of a lion, add to this the enormous speed that the bird develops as naturally as when escaping from the enemy. Not a single African animal dares to engage in open combat with an ostrich, but some take advantage of the bird's short-sightedness. During a group attack, hyenas and jackals distract the attention of the ostrich, and while he scares off some aggressors, their accomplices often manage to come in from the rear and steal an egg from the nest.

A female ostrich in a threatening posture.

Ostriches feed mainly on plant foods, but they can rather be called omnivores. Along with grass, leaves and fruits, they can eat insects, small lizards, turtles and even birds and animals. Interestingly, these birds prefer to pick up food from the ground, and rarely pluck branches. Ostriches swallow prey whole, including hard fruits. Also, these birds often swallow pebbles that help grind food; in an adult bird, up to 1 kg of pebbles can accumulate in the stomach. For this reason, in captivity, ostriches like to try everything “on the tooth” and often swallow inedible objects, such as buttons, coins, nails. Ostriches can go without water for a long time, but on occasion they willingly drink and bathe.

The ostrich was going to dine on a newborn turtle.

The breeding season for ostriches living in humid areas lasts from June to October. Ostriches living in the desert breed all year round. During this period, herds of ostriches break up, and males occupy areas that are carefully guarded from competitors. Seeing an opponent, the ostrich rushes to cut him and strives to kick, the female ostrich accepts favorably. To attract their attention, the ostrich can make a roar, driving air through the throat. When a female approaches, the ostrich begins to lek, for this he spreads his wings, the span of which can reach 2 m. The male sits on his paws, alternately flaps his wings and bows his head to one shoulder, then to the other.

Current ostrich.

Look at the various forms of mating behavior of ostriches:

• a strong male chases a weaker opponent ;

Ostriches are polygamous birds, so each male strives to gather more chosen ones around him and mates with all females. However, in the ostrich harem, one female always occupies a leading position and can linger near the male until the end of nesting, while the rest are removed. The male digs a hole in the ground with his paws, in which the females alternately lay their eggs. From the first moment to the end of incubation, all worries about the offspring fall on the male. While he is incubating the first eggs, the females literally lay eggs in front of him, which he carefully rolls under him. Each female lays 7-9 eggs, and in total there are 15-25 of them in the nest. In places of mass hunting for ostriches, there is a shortage of males (since it is their feathers that are valued above all), so up to 50 eggs can accumulate in nests. The probability of survival of such a clutch is negligible, since the male cannot cover all the eggs with his body and they remain unincubated.

Male and female African ostrich at the nest.

Incubation lasts 1.5 months, only the male incubates, the dominant female may be nearby, but does not take part in incubation. It should be noted that the male sits on the nest mainly at night, and during the day leaves the clutch to the will of the sun to feed. It is at this point that the ostrich's nest is vulnerable to hyenas, jackals and vultures that hunt for eggs.

Ostrich eggs are both the largest and ... the smallest in the world. In terms of absolute size, ostrich eggs, weighing 1.5-2 kg, are the largest among all birds, but relative to the body size of an adult bird, they are the smallest. Ostrich eggs are almost spherical in shape (15 cm long, 13 cm wide) and have a white glossy shell. Egg shells are very thick and strong and can support the weight of an adult. But the same shell is a serious test for ostrich chicks: in order to hatch, the chick hammers the shell for several hours, making a small hole, and then expands it, resting its head against the arch of the egg.

African ostrich egg laying.

Incubation lasts 6 weeks, ostriches hatched with such difficulty from the first minutes of life can follow their father and look for food on their own. Interestingly, the ostrich often breaks the eggs remaining in the nest with their feet, the smell of rotten eggs attracts flies, which are pecked by ostriches. In general, ostrich chicks, unlike adult birds, feed only on animal food, mainly insects. Newborn ostriches are covered with small bristle-like feathers and have a striped yellow-brown color, they grow quickly and can soon reach speeds of up to 50 km / h. Despite this, the chicks are vulnerable to predators, only 15% of the chicks live up to a year.

African ostrich chicks.

Male ostriches are exemplary parents, they lead the young, protect them from predators and protect them from the scorching sun, spreading their wings, in the shade of which the chicks hide. The ostrich chicks are very friendly and follow each other in a dense flock, when two families meet, the ostriches unite in one group and in the future they are no longer separated. This leads to conflicts between the parents, each of the males considers the babies to be his own, and a fight ensues between them for the right to fulfill parental duties. The winner takes the whole group with him and does not divide the chicks into adopted children and his own. Ostrich chicks put on their adult outfit at the age of two, and reach puberty by 3-4 years. Ostriches live an average of 30-40 years, in captivity they can live up to 50.

In nature, ostriches have few enemies, the greatest losses in the population are observed during the incubation of eggs and the rearing of young. In addition to hyenas, jackals and vultures hunting for eggs, lions, cheetahs and leopards can attack chicks. Adult ostriches fall into the clutches of predators only if they managed to ambush the bird and attack from behind.

Three cheetahs killed an ostrich.

Even in ancient times, ostriches were hunted for their feathers. Since ostrich feathers do not have a decorated fan, they are soft to the touch and sway beautifully in the wind, so they were used to make plumes of warriors, fans, and since the Middle Ages - to make fans and decorate women's hats. The demand for feathers peaked in the 18th century, when ostriches were exterminated over large areas, and the number of the Arabian subspecies was undermined so much that by 1966 it was completely extinct.

The widespread extermination of the African ostrich has prompted people to start breeding these birds in captivity. The first ostrich farm appeared in the 19th century in South America, and then ostriches began to be bred in Africa, North America, and Southern Europe. In captivity, these birds are very unpretentious and hardy. Some farmers even taught ostriches to carry a rider (this bird can withstand the weight of a person freely) and walk in a harness, but these experiments were not widespread. Aggressive during the breeding season and difficult to train, the ostrich is not of interest as a draft force. On modern ostrich farms, more and more applications are being made for products obtained from these birds. Now ostrich meat and eggs are often supplied to restaurants with exotic cuisine. Ostrich meat is leaner and tougher than any other poultry, and tastes like beef. Eggs have become a favorite material for crafts and artistic carvings, candlesticks and souvenirs are made from them. The demand for ostrich feathers in our time is not so great, but the strong skin of an ostrich is very much appreciated. After dressing, a material with a unique texture is obtained, so ostrich leather belongs to the elite grades of raw materials. Thanks to captive breeding, the population of wild ostriches is not threatened in our time.

3-year-old giraffe Bia and 10-year-old ostrich Wilma made friends at the Tampa Zoo (USA).

Ostriches are the largest birds in the world, which were previously mistaken for nandu and emus. They are separated by scientists into separate orders, the representatives of which are American and Australian birds, highlighting only the African species as real ostriches.

Only the African is considered a real ostrich.

African ostriches stand out

• Largeness is the first thing they do not look like other birds. Growth reaches the size of a large breed of horses. They reach a height of 2.7 m, and weigh up to 75 kg. Some individuals weighing over 130 kg come across.
• Strength and length of legs, fingers and neck.
• A disproportionately small head, which contains a small brain, the size of a walnut, indicating a lack of intelligence and primitiveness.
• Feathers, smoky in color, are located on the body, tail and wings of the ostrich, short fluff is seen on the head, neck and upper legs, paws are in scales.
• Unpretentiousness.
• Endurance.

African ostriches are very large birds.

Primitive features of the structure

• Ostriches have a structure of feathers that is different from other birds in the world, in which feathers do not grow evenly, but are arranged in lines - pterylia. A similar feature of the arrangement of the wings of nandu, emu, cassowaries, kiwis and penguins. The feathers lack a structured web, and there is no cohesion between the secondary barbs of the feathers.
• Their brains are poorly developed.
• They do not have a sternum keel due to poorly developed chest muscles. They don't fly.
• The presence of strong muscular legs allows ostriches to run fast.
• The paws of an ostrich consist of two fingers - on one, a huge and strong supporting finger there is a claw, and on the second, smaller one, there is no claw - it only acts as an assistant in maintaining balance, improving traction when the bird runs.

Unique features

• The only ones in the world are known to have the ability to separately remove feces and urine from the body. The rest of the birds excrete feces at the same time, excreting litter in a semi-liquid state, and ostriches have a bladder, urine is excreted separately.
• Their goiter is not developed. The extensibility of the neck allows them to swallow large food.
• Visual acuity.
• The head of the birds is poorly feathered, the color of the feathers is most often gray and black, so you can see the location of the external auditory openings, which look like ears.

The head of an ostrich is covered with sparse bristles

Color of ostrich feathers

• Males are painted black, except for the tips on the feathers of the wings and tail, which are white.
• Females are smaller, with gray-brown feathers.
• In subspecies, the beak and paws have differences: their color is sandy gray, red, or with a bright pink border. The Somali subspecies has pink paws and beak.

habitats

African ostriches, the only ones in the world, live in Africa, except for the northern part and the Sahara desert. Previously, for many years they were met in the territories of Arabia and Syria. Ostriches prefer to live in open flat areas, in grassy savannahs, enliven dry woodlands and semi-desert. You will not meet this bird in dense thickets, on a swampy plain and in desert quicksands, where it is difficult for them to develop speed.

Ostriches are sedentary birds that live up to 70 years, which stray into small flocks, less often large flocks, where up to 50 individuals gather. You can meet on pastures, where birds peacefully and graze with herds of zebras and antelopes. The flock adheres to a strict hierarchy, but they do not have a permanent composition. In birds with upper ranks, tails and necks are in a vertical position, in weak ones - in an oblique position.

Ostriches live throughout Africa, except for the desert regions of the Sahara.

live on farms

The description of birds kept for many years on special farms requires special attention. Activity is noted towards dusk, night and noon are the best times for rest. At night, the bird sleeps for short periods of deep sleep. At this time, he lies on the ground, stretching his neck. The rest of the time, sleep is a long nap in which they are in a sitting position, with their neck up and eyes closed.

wild bird behavior

Being stupid due to the fact that their brain is small, ostriches remain cautious. When taking food, they constantly raise their heads to look around. Keen vision allows them to notice moving objects when they are a kilometer away from them. Ostriches leave as soon as they sense danger. Ostriches are observed by representatives of other herbivores that do not have such vision, but they have a better sense of smell.

Ostriches run away from danger, speeding up to 90 km / h, overtaking horses, but not for a long period of time.

At high speed, the largest bird turns around or plummets to the ground. Caution is inherent in her when outside nesting. Incubating the clutch, they take care of the offspring, becoming desperate and aggressive, do not hide from danger. Their reaction to moving objects becomes instantaneous. At first, the ostrich, opening its wings, frightens the troublemaker, and then rushes at him, trying to trample him with his paws.

Ostriches are dangerous birds, they can even kill a lion

The male is able to hit with his paw so hard that he breaks the head of a lion. African predators do not dare to fight openly in a fight with him, but sometimes they know how to take advantage of his stupidity. Group attacks undertaken by flocks of hyenas and jackals are able to divert the bird's attention, while their accomplices, meanwhile, drag the eggs from the nest.

Nutrition

Ostriches are omnivorous birds, although plant foods are a delicacy. They eat blades of grass and leaves of plants. They feast on fruits, eat lizards and turtles, birds, insects and animals become food. Ostriches pick up food lying on the ground. They do not pluck tree branches, swallowing food completely. Thanks to the pebbles swallowed by them, food is frayed in the stomach for many years. They try everything they see “by the tooth”, so they swallow the inedible in the form of buttons, coins, nails. They are able to survive without drinking, and when water is plentiful, they like to drink and bathe with pleasure.

Ostriches tolerate periods of drought well.

reproduction

The breeding season for birds that inhabit humid areas continues from June to October. Desert dwellers are able to breed all year round. When the breeding season comes, the herd breaks up, and the males occupy areas carefully guarded by them from other males.

Seeing a competitor, the male runs towards him, kicks, and treats females with favor.

To attract the attention of the female, the male lets out roars. When she approaches, he, spreading his wings, currents, as is characteristic of birds. Sitting on its paws, the male begins to alternately flap its wings, bowing its head towards them. There are several types of behavior:

1. Expulsion by a strong male of a weak one.
2. Fight of strong males.
3. Mating dances of males with females.

Since the ostrich is a polygamous bird, the male tries to surround himself with females, mating with all of them. His harem has one leading female, which remains with him until the end of the nesting period. The males break out holes in which the females, observing the queue, lay several eggs. Incubation of the chicks is the responsibility of the males.

Ostrich and his females

While the male is incubating the eggs, the females continue to lay. The male gently rolls each new egg under him. One female lays up to 9 eggs, and the nest can hold up to 25 eggs.

The places where the most massive ostrich hunting takes place, males are in short supply, since they are the only valuable suppliers of feathers in the world. Then 50 eggs can accumulate in one nest. But such a laying leaves many eggs unincubated, because the male does not manage to cover them all with his body.

The incubation period lasts one and a half months. Males sit on nests at night, and in the daytime they search for food. The masonry is warmed up at this time by the sun's rays.

In the absence of a male, the eggs are susceptible to attack by hyenas, jackals and vultures.

The skin of newborn babies is covered in small feathers, similar to bristles. They have a yellow-brown striped color. The male protects his offspring by spreading his wings to get a shaded place in which he hides the chicks from the hot sun. The development of chicks is rapid, but they become victims of the attack of predatory animals - how many of them rarely survive to the age of one.

Ostriches protect their chicks, but not all babies survive to adulthood

All about ostrich eggs

The size of an ostrich egg is considered the largest and smallest on the planet. They weigh up to 2 kg, that is, they are the largest bird eggs. But when compared to the size of an ostrich, they seem to be the smallest. They are spherical in shape with a white glossy shell, thick and strong, supporting the weight of an adult male. Therefore, it is difficult for chicks to hatch from it, the development of which occurs quickly - they have to hammer the shell for more than one hour in order to make a hole from which they can get out.

Common nest in which females lay their eggs

Enemies and reasons for hunting ostriches

Adult ostriches have almost no enemies, so they only lose eggs and young chicks eaten by hyenas, jackals, vultures that hunt eggs and chicks, and adults have been attacked by lions, a cheetah or leopard can attack when predatory cats ambush them .

Ostrich feathers have been valued since antiquity. Due to their softness and beautiful fluttering, feathers were used for the production of fans and plumes.

In the Middle Ages, they were used to make fans and ornaments for women's hats. In the 18th century, the extermination of ostriches began all over the world, because of which people had to start breeding them on special farms.

bird breeding

Farmers all over the world breed ostriches for their valuable exotic products. Their meat and eggs are used to prepare restaurant dishes.

• The meat is lean and tough, and tastes like beef.
• Eggs are used to make souvenirs.
• Feathers, which have a beautiful color, have not found much use in the modern world.
• The skin of an ostrich is strong, a material with a unique texture comes out of it.

Ostriches provide many valuable products

Birds thought to be ostriches

1. Nandu is similar to the African ostrich in appearance. The bird is large, runs fast and loves to peck at small shiny objects, the brain is primitive.
2. Cassowary and emu are close relatives, large flightless birds.
3. The cassowary is distinguished by a horn-like “helmet” that adorns its head, and plumage that looks like elongated wool. The color of the feathers is different. He prefers to live alone, has an irritable nature, and is very dangerous.
4. Emu has a large stature, but the primitive brain is a friendly and curious large birds.

Despite the fact that this bird in nature runs through the desert and hot territory of Africa, Australia, America, it very easily takes root in the temperate climate zone. Moreover, they endure the harsh Russian winters, since their plumage can protect against frosts of -20 degrees. Of course, they are not left outside for the winter and are kept in a poultry house, as their legs can freeze.

Under the ostrich farm, you need to choose a dry area, which will be far from flood waters. It is desirable that the site be in a secluded, warm place that will be sheltered from cold winds - this is the main enemy of the bird, since it can get sick in drafts. As for sanitation, there are several mandatory requirements.

1. The site should be located at a distance of at least 1 km from the litter storage, other farms, as well as at a distance of 2 km from the place of processing of meat, poultry waste. This is due to the fact that one of the most painful types of pets is the ostrich, this is a bird that picks up any infection. In his native environment, in the shroud, in the desert areas, the hot air kills most diseases, which is why they live so long. It is difficult to say how long ostriches live in our conditions, since it depends on the species, but not less than 15 years ( Australian) and not more than 90 years ( African)
2. On the territory there should not be ponds, other reservoirs, pets should drink water only from specially designated drinkers. They do not like moisture and dirt at all.
3. The soil should be loose, preferably clay-sandy, with the addition of shells. This is so that the bird does not get injured when running, cannot gain more speed, and also does not pick out its inhabitants (worms, beetles, etc.) from the soil.

It is not recommended to make enclosures more than 50 meters in length, as there will be a risk of injury. If you do not limit the space, they accelerate to 80 km / h, while very often they forget to slow down, they do it on the fence. It is best to break up a large area into several sections so that your pets run correctly, safely.

In winter, it must be kept in a poultry house. For this, an ordinary dry room is suitable, not necessarily heated, the main thing is to make a dry, loose floor, on which to throw a lot of straw or hay. Under such conditions, the exotic "animal" will easily endure the winter.

Is an ostrich a bird or an animal that eats everything?

There is a very common myth that Emu, Nandu and other breeds eat mainly meat, that is, they eat not only herbaceous plants, but also meat, like animals. In fact, this myth is just as wrong as the popular belief that ostriches bury their heads in the ground when startled.

This is the most common bird that just lives in warmer climes. Its nutrition is not much different from or ducks, except that there is only one difference - they really eat a lot. To feed one such "hut on legs", it is necessary to give him up to 3.5 kg of food per day. The large intestine is very long (9 meters), fiber, fats are successfully broken down in it, water is absorbed. The cesspool consists of 3 chambers, which is why this bird is unique in its kind: they excrete feces and urine separately, like animals, and not like all the inhabitants of the poultry house. The length of the entire intestinal tract is 18 meters, any greens are perfectly digested in it, even very heavy food.

The ostrich is a very voracious bird, it eats up to 2.5% of its mass in adulthood, and the young eats 3.9-4.1% of its own mass. The only advantage is that it quickly gains weight, the feed does not go “down the pipe”. In one year, they grow by 70% of their maximum weight. I.e African an ostrich will gain 100-120 kg in 1 year, and Australian up to 50-70 kg. You can feed grains and herbs, millet, oilcake, give fish, fruits, including apples, apricots, mulberries and pears. They eat vegetables: pumpkin, cucumbers, watermelons, beets (regular and sugar). You can give exactly the same feed as with or pigs.

If you don't know what an ostrich looks like when it's eaten enough, look at its behavior. Hungry individuals are aggressive, approach the feeding place, show activity, flap their wings, make different sounds. If they had a hearty meal, they stand half-asleep aside, they can sit down under the sun, doze off. It is not worth overfeeding adults; you need to give them exactly as many vitamins and minerals as their body requires. Your daily allowance for feeding:

Many are afraid to start a business because they fear that they will not be able to figure out how to breed ostriches on their own. In fact, this process is not difficult, it is much easier than breeding horses or geese. In order for everything to work out, you need to know a few important points, which we will describe below.

1. Places for building nests must be taken away immediately, but it is better to do it yourself, as they can pull them out in very inconvenient places, for example, under the hedge itself, in stones, and the like. It will not be difficult for you to dig a small depression, throw hay there.
2. It is necessary to maintain feeding during laying, do not change portions, products. Any innovations can stop laying. It is advisable to accustom to calcined food even before laying, since the egg shell removes almost all calcium from the body.
3. It is necessary to keep males and females in different rooms or pens, then mating, when you place them in one area, will be much more productive, faster. If you keep them in the same territory, they begin to mate ahead of time, this process is delayed, adversely affects the laying of eggs - there are much fewer of them.
4. During mating and laying eggs, you should not frighten the bird, it must be calm. It is also not recommended to enter the enclosure to them, to annoy them with unpleasant sounds, actions. They are not aggressive, but may lash out if their offspring are in danger.
5. The puberty of the female will be in 2.5 years, the males will be approximately in 3-3.5 years, but this depends not only on age, but also on the weight and quality of feeding. If the body has enough of everything, they begin to mate much faster, perhaps even after 2 years.
6. First, the female lays 20 eggs, fertilization is 65%, then these figures increase.
7. The sexual potential of a male is often determined by the color of the beak and shins - the red color indicates his maturity, readiness for the sexual process, then you can mate.
8. The ratio of males and females is almost equal to 1:1 or 1:2, if you already have some breeding experience, you know how to correctly determine puberty.
9. To increase the period of laying eggs, they are taken from the nest, leaving 3-4 pieces, because if there are 15-20 of them, the female will immediately sit on the nest and stop laying eggs.

If you follow these recommendations and take into account all the features of reproduction, your business will become profitable, and "pets" will bring a lot of pleasure from breeding them. And remember that an ostrich is an ordinary bird that can also be grown on a Russian farm without fear.

Where to sell an ostrich or what can be taken from it?

Many people think that the profit can only be obtained from the sale of meat, but, in fact, it is it that is the cheapest product. The skin from which leather products are made is most valued; it has excellent strength indicators and meets the requirements of even the most demanding customers. One square meter of the skin will cost at least $350, so the bigger the bird, the more profit it will make.

It is very profitable to sell eggs, since one costs about 400-500 rubles, depending on its weight and the place where you will take it. The most profitable they can be realized in restaurants, as well as for souvenirs. Lamps, elements of decorating the room, vases, dishes are made from them.

The liver has a separate value. Its cost of at least 2,000 rubles per kilogram in a restaurant is considered a delicacy. 1 individual gives up to 2-2.5 kg of liver, which is very beneficial. With successful implementation, you can get +5000 rubles from one ostrich.

Beak, nails are bought by pharmaceutical companies for the manufacture of drugs against cardiovascular diseases. They make expensive face masks, as well as skin lifting creams. Brisket fat is also used as an anti-aging cream.

Feathers are an equally expensive product, producing high-quality pillows, linings for winter clothes, stuffing for blankets. They have hypoallergenic properties, perfectly retain heat, while allowing air to pass through. In such clothes, the body constantly breathes, feels comfortable.

What are ostriches?

The most popular species for breeding is the African ostrich, one of the largest modern birds. There are three varieties: with black, red and blue neck. An adult ostrich has a weight of 150-180 kg and can easily carry an adult.

What conditions do ostriches live in?

In their natural habitat, ostriches live at above zero temperatures, but they can endure cold temperatures down to minus 30 ° C without any problems. This allows you to breed them in Russia. The main conditions for keeping ostriches are a spacious range and good lighting (for a small family of 3-4 birds, a corral of at least 100 square meters is required.

What is the purpose of breeding ostriches?

• Ostrich meat is a valuable dietary product. It is very lean - its fat content is negligible, and in combination with very low cholesterol and high protein content, this brings this type of meat to the top of the list of the most exclusive products.
  In addition, in terms of speed and efficiency of building muscle mass, ostriches are superior to any farm animals, and at the same time they are quite unpretentious in nutrition. For example, from one female, 30-40 kg of pure meat is obtained.,
• Leather. Ostrich skin is not inferior to crocodile and snake skin in demand. It is used in the manufacture of shoes, clothing, hats, belts, bags and more. From one adult ostrich you can get up to 1.5 square meters. meters of skin.,
• Feathers. The niche of using ostrich feathers is mainly women's fashion, jewelry, pillows, down jackets, accessories. Adult ostriches are sheared every 8 months, while receiving 1-2 kg of feathers.,
• Eggs. As food, ostrich eggs are not very suitable, but they are a sought-after commodity for those who want to breed ostriches, and eggs are also used as souvenirs. An adult female lays about 50 eggs per season.,

Dear visitors, save this article on social networks. We publish very useful articles that will help you in your business. Share! Click!

How long do ostriches live?

The life span of an ostrich is up to 70 years, of which an average of 40 years are capable of reproduction. Males reach puberty by 24-30 months, females by 18-24 months. The incubation period for eggs is 45-52 days. An ostrich reaches its full height and weight by the age of four.

Under what conditions are ostriches raised?

The content of ostriches can be extensive, intensive and semi-intensive. As close as possible to natural conditions, the option is extensive - the bird grazes in large open areas, in numerous groups. Intensive option - indoors, in small families of 3-4 birds. Semi-intensive method - walking on pastures is combined with "stall" content.
In any of the options, the ratio of males to females should be at least 1 to 2, because. ostriches are polygamous birds.

How to raise ostrich chicks?

In a natural way, ostriches reproduce offspring as follows: the male prepares a nest in the ground, digging a hole with his claws and beak, the female lays up to 12 eggs and incubates the eggs during the daytime. At night, the male replaces her.
For artificial breeding of chicks, a double incubator is used. The first 39 days the eggs are in the main incubator, then for 4-6 days they are transferred to the brood incubator, where the conditions are different: higher humidity and lower temperature. In the brood incubator, the chicks live for another 2-3 days after hatching, then they are transferred to a separate room, where the temperature should be maintained at 24-25 ° C. You can take the chicks outside at an air temperature of at least 18 ° C.

What do ostriches eat?

Ostriches are practically omnivores. In addition to plant foods, they can swallow small animals whole, and often even inedible objects. When feeding an ostrich, the main requirement for the diet is a sufficient amount of protein (10-20%, depending on age and period).
The most appropriate food for ostriches: wheat, corn, oats, barley, bran, from roughage - hay and field grass. You can add bone or meat and bone meal, animal feed, premixes. Some ready-made chicken feeds are suitable for ostriches. On average, an adult ostrich consumes 2-3 kg of feed per day.

Causes of disease in ostriches?

And some secrets...

Have you ever experienced unbearable joint pain? And you know firsthand what it is:

• inability to move easily and comfortably;
• discomfort when going up and down stairs;
• unpleasant crunch, clicking not of their own free will;
• pain during or after exercise;
• inflammation in the joints and swelling;
• causeless and sometimes unbearable aching pain in the joints ...

Now answer the question: does it suit you? Can such pain be endured? And how much money have you already "leaked" for ineffective treatment? That's right - it's time to end this! Do you agree? That is why we decided to publish an exclusive interview with professor Dikul, in which he revealed the secrets of getting rid of joint pain, arthritis and arthrosis.

The only modern representative of the ostrich family is the African ostrich. Sometimes ostriches are called nandu and emu - flightless birds.

The African ostrich is the largest of modern birds: up to 270 cm high and weighing up to 156 kg. The ostrich has a dense physique, a long neck and a small flattened head. The beak is straight, flat, with a horny "claw" on the mandible, rather soft. The eyes are large, with thick eyelashes on the upper eyelid. Each eye is the size of a brain. The mouth opening reaches the eyes.

Ostriches are flightless birds. They are characterized by the complete absence of a keel and underdeveloped pectoral muscles; the skeleton is not pneumatic, except for the femurs. The wings of ostriches are underdeveloped; two fingers on them end in claws, or spurs. The hind limbs are long and strong, with only two fingers. One of the fingers ends with a semblance of a horny hoof - the bird leans on it when running.

The plumage of an ostrich is loose and curly. Feathers grow throughout the body more or less evenly, pterylia are absent. The structure of the feather is primitive: the beards are almost not linked to each other, so dense blades-fans are not formed. The head, neck and hips are not feathered. There is also a bare patch of skin on the chest, a pectoral callus, on which the ostrich rests when it lies down. The plumage color of an adult male is black; tail and wing feathers are white. The female ostrich is smaller than the male and is uniformly colored - in grayish-brown tones; wing and tail feathers are off-white.

The ostrich habitat covered the dry treeless expanses of Africa and the Middle East, including Iraq (Mesopotamia), Iran (Persia) and Arabia. However, due to intensive hunting, their population has been greatly reduced. Near Eastern subspecies, S. c. syriacus, has been considered extinct since 1966. Even earlier, in the Pleistocene and Pliocene, various species of ostriches were distributed in Western Asia, in the south of Eastern Europe, in Central Asia and in India.

There are two basic types of African ostrich: East African ostriches with red necks and legs, and two subspecies with bluish-white necks and legs. Subspecies S. c. molybdophanes, found in Ethiopia, northern Kenya and Somalia, is sometimes isolated as a separate species - the Somali ostrich. Another subspecies of gray-necked ostriches (S. c. australis) lives in southwestern Africa, where its range is extremely mosaic. In subspecies S. c. massaicus, or Masai ostriches, during the mating season, the neck and legs are painted bright red. Another subspecies is distinguished - S. c. camelus in North Africa. Its natural range extends from Ethiopia and Kenya to Senegal and in the north to eastern Mauritania and southern Morocco.

Lifestyle and nutrition

The ostrich lives in open savannas and semi-deserts, north and south of the equatorial forest zone. Outside of the mating season, ostriches are usually kept in small flocks or families. The family consists of an adult male, four or five females and chicks. Often, ostriches graze along with herds of zebras and antelopes, and together with them make long migrations across the African plains. Due to their height and excellent eyesight, ostriches are the first to notice danger. In case of danger, they take flight, developing a speed of up to 60-70 km / h and taking steps 3.5-4 m long, and if necessary, abruptly change the direction of running without slowing down. Young ostriches already at the age of one month can run at speeds up to 50 km / h.

The usual food of ostriches is plants - shoots, flowers, seeds, fruits, but on occasion they also eat small animals - insects (locusts), reptiles, rodents and leftovers from predators' meals. Young birds eat only animal food. In captivity, an ostrich needs about 3.5 kg of food per day. Since ostriches have no teeth, to grind food in the stomach, they swallow small pebbles, and often everything they come across: nails, pieces of wood, iron, plastic, etc. Ostriches can go without water for a long time, getting moisture from the food they eat. plants, but on occasion they willingly drink and like to swim.

Ostrich eggs left unattended by adult birds often become the prey of predators (jackals, hyenas), as well as carrion birds. Vultures, for example, take a stone in their beak and throw it at the egg until it breaks. Sometimes the chicks are caught by lions. However, adult ostriches are dangerous even for large predators - one blow of their strong leg, armed with a hard claw, is enough to seriously injure or kill a lion. There are cases when males, defending their territory, attacked people.

The legend that a frightened ostrich hides its head in the sand probably comes from the fact that a female ostrich sitting on a nest, in case of danger, spreads her neck and head on the ground, trying to become invisible against the background of the surrounding savannah. Ostriches do the same when they see predators. If you approach such a hidden bird, it instantly jumps up and runs away.

Economic importance

Beautiful flight and tail feathers of ostriches have long been in demand - they were used to make fans, fans and plumes of headdresses. The strong shell of ostrich eggs was used by African tribes as vessels for water, and in Europe beautiful goblets were made from these eggs.

Because of the feathers that went to decorate ladies' hats and on fans, ostriches were almost exterminated in the 18th - early 19th centuries. If in the middle of the XIX century. ostriches were not farmed, they would probably have been completely exterminated by now, as the Middle Eastern subspecies of the ostrich was exterminated. Now ostriches are bred in more than 50 countries around the world (including countries with a cold climate, such as Sweden), but most of their farms are still concentrated in South Africa.

You can ride ostriches. An adult male carries a person without difficulty.

Currently, ostriches are bred mainly for expensive skin and meat. Ostrich meat resembles lean beef - it is lean and contains little cholesterol. Additional products are eggs and feathers. Feathers are not pulled out of birds, but once or twice a year they are carefully cut close to the skin. Only two-three-year-old and older ostriches are suitable for such an operation - feathers are not valuable in young birds.

Most of the coats of arms of Poland have ostrich feathers in the crest.

reproduction

The ostrich is a polygamous bird. Most often, ostriches can be found in groups of 3-5 birds - one male and several females. Only during non-breeding time, ostriches sometimes gather in flocks of up to 20-30 birds, and immature birds in southern Africa - up to 50-100 individuals. During the mating season, male ostriches occupy an area from 2 to 15 km 2, driving away competitors.

When it's time for breeding, male ostriches lek in a peculiar way, attracting females. The male kneels down, rhythmically beats his wings, throws his head back and rubs the back of his head against his own back. The neck and legs of the male during this period acquire a bright color. Competing for females, males emit hissing and other sounds. They can trumpet: for this they gain a full goiter of air and push it through the esophagus with force - at the same time, a semblance of a deaf roar is heard.

The dominant male covers all the females in the harem, but forms a pair only with the dominant female and hatches the chicks with her. All females lay their eggs in a common nesting hole, which the male scrapes out in the ground or in the sand. Its depth is only 30-60 cm. Ostrich eggs are the largest in the bird world, although they are small relative to the size of the bird itself: the length of the egg is 15-21 cm, the weight is from 1.5 to 2 kg (this is approximately 25-36 chicken eggs ). The shell of ostrich eggs is very thick - 0.6 cm, its color is usually straw yellow, rarely darker or white. In North Africa, the total clutch usually consists of 15-20 eggs, in the south of the mainland - from 30, in East Africa the number of eggs reaches 50-60. Each female lays eggs, apparently once every 2 days.

When the dominant female has laid all the eggs, she demands that the rest of the females leave, rolls her own eggs into the center of the clutch (she distinguishes them by the texture of the shell) and proceeds to incubate.

masonry

Eggs are incubated during the day by females (because of their protective coloration, merging with the landscape), at night - by the male. Often during the day, eggs are left unattended and heated by the rays of the sun. Incubation lasts 35-45 days. However, often many eggs, and sometimes all, die due to under-incubation. Only the male incubates the eggs. The chick cracks the strong shell of an ostrich egg for about an hour, sometimes more. It rests with one foot on the blunt end of the egg, with the other foot on the sharp one, and beats with its beak in one place until a small hole appears. Then he does so a few more holes. Then, in order to break his way out, the chick hits the shell with the back of the head, so African ostrich chicks hatch with hematomas on the back of the head, which quickly disappear.

When the chicks hatch, the adult bird breaks the eggs, which are definitely spoiled (usually they lie on the edges). Flies flock to them, which serve as food for the chicks.

Ostriches hatch sighted, covered with down and capable of movement. A newly hatched ostrich weighs approx. 1.2 kg, and by four months reaches 18-19 kg. The chicks leave the nest the day after hatching and travel with their father in search of food. During the first 2 months of life, the chicks are covered with brownish hard bristles, then they dress in an outfit similar in color to that of the female. Real feathers appear in the second month, and black feathers in males - only in the second year of life. Ostriches become capable of breeding at the age of 2-4 years. African ostriches live like people, that is, an average of 75 years.

The chicks are tightly attached to each other. If two groups of chicks are too close, they mix and cannot be separated. The parents fight each other. The winners take care of all the chicks. Therefore, groups of chicks of different ages are often found.

There is an opinion that when frightened, an ostrich buries its head in the sand.

“The common opinion that ostriches hide their heads in the sand to escape predators originates in the works of the Roman thinker Pliny the Elder, in whose notes we read: “ostriches imagine that when they stick their heads and necks into the ground, their whole body seems to be hidden ".

In fact, ostriches can sometimes be observed bowing their heads to the ground and swallowing sand or gravel. Ostriches select hard pebbles of gravel from the ground, which improve their digestive process.

Also, ostriches simply drop their heads to the ground after a long chase after them, when they no longer have the strength to either run or even keep their heads up.