Common Ostrich (7 meters tall and 130 kilograms)
The common ostrich (Struthio camelus), is the biggest and heaviest bird that still exists in the world. Common ostriches are large, up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall birds with long necks and legs.
Ostriches have remarkable running abilities, with the ability to attain top speeds of 45 miles per hour (72 kilometers per hour). They are omnivorous and are known for their inquisitive and social nature.
These giants lay the biggest eggs of any land animal, each one weighing about 3 pounds, like holding 24 chicken eggs at once!
There are actually two kinds of ostriches: the common ostrich and the Somali ostrich. They look similar, but they live in different parts of Africa.
- Appearance: Black body plumage with white wing and tail tips, Bare pink neck and head, Long eyelashes and distinctive bald patch on crown, Males have larger, brighter red neck pouches during breeding season.
- Size: Height Up to 2.75 meters (9 feet) tall for males, 1.9 meters (6.3 feet) for females. Weight of Males up to 130 kilograms (290 pounds), females up to 120 kilograms (260 pounds).
- Habitat: Found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa, Favor savannas, grasslands, and semi-arid plains.
- Family Name: Struthionidae (Ostrich family).
- Scientific name: Struthio camelus
Top 15+ Biggest Birds in The World (2024)
The common ostrich (Struthio camelus), is the largest bird in the world. There are approximately 10,000 species of birds present on the earth and they are rages from different sizes and shapes from the small bee hummingbird to the largest ostrich.
Ostrich belongs to the infra-class Palaeognathae. It is the tallest and heaviest – around over 2 meters in height (and occasionally reaches 2.8 meters), and weighs up to 160 kg. At this size, the ostrich is a flightless bird, it is known as the fastest animal running on two legs because its run-up speed is much higher than other animals and the speed of birds is 69 km per hour.
A diverse group of flightless birds called ratites involved the emu, rheas, and kiwi. Both the common ostrich and the Somali ostrich are two living species of ostrich. They are large flightless birds of Africa that lay the largest eggs compared to any living land Species. They are the fastest birds on earth as they can run at speeds of up to 70 km/h.