The largest bird is the African ostrich. The name of this flightless bird is translated from Greek as "camel sparrow". This giant also lays the largest eggs.
Very often, the size of eggs laid by birds is not proportional to the size of the bird itself. Usually, large eggs with a large volume of nutritious yolk are laid by those species in which the chicks hatch are relatively developed and are able to take care of themselves almost immediately. From small eggs, chicks are born helpless and weak.
Ostrich chicks
The ostrich chick shows strength even in the egg. For an hour, he breaks through a thick shell, resting his feet on both ends of the egg and gouging with his beak until a hole appears. Having made several such holes, the chick hits the shell with the back of the head, while getting a hematoma, but achieving the goal.
Ostriches emerge from the egg, sighted and active, weighing up to 1, 2 kg. The next day, they are able to travel with their parent in search of food, and at the age of one month they can run at a decent speed - 50 km / h. It is interesting that ostrich chicks from different groups can mix when they meet, and there is no way to separate them. The parents fight for the chicks and the winners take care of the whole group.
Ostrich lifestyle
An adult ostrich is up to 250 cm tall and weighs about 150 kg. He has a naked long neck and a small head with large eyes.
On the back, ostriches have underdeveloped wings, on the legs - only two toes, one of which at the end contains a semblance of a horny hoof. The blows of a powerful ostrich leg are terrible even for lions, if these birds defend themselves while protecting their territory.
Usually, in case of danger, ostriches take to flight, making huge three-four-meter steps at a speed of about 70 km / h. As a rule, ostriches are kept in small families. This is a kind of harem with one male, four to five females and chicks.
Ostriches feed on plant food, but sometimes they eat insects and small animals. At a young age, ostriches eat animal food. Ostriches do not have teeth, so they swallow stones, pieces of wood and other objects to grind and digest food in the stomach. The life span of an ostrich is about the same as that of a person - 70 years.
Ostrich eggs
The male forms a pair with one female from the harem, with which he then incubates the chicks. The rest of the females lay their eggs in a hole about 60 cm deep, which was prepared by the male. Straw-yellow, white or dark green eggs weighing 1.5-2 kg in length reach 15-21 cm. Clutch can contain from 15 to 60 eggs.
Incubation lasts from 35 to 45 days. Many embryos die from hypothermia, as they are often left unattended. Ostriches break the spoiled eggs, and the flies that fly on them serve as animal food for the hatched chicks.
There are ostrich farms where birds are raised for meat, feathers and eggs. Thanks to their thick shell, eggs do not spoil for three months, and they can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. The taste of ostrich eggs is reminiscent of chicken.
