The World’s Biggest And Fastest Bird Facts Unleashed!

Looking at Uganda as your next Uganda birding safari destination? Which birds do you expect to see during this birding safari Uganda? Uganda is host to over 1062 confirmed bird species located in different areas of the country. During your Uganda birding tour, expect to tick off a number of them including the world’s biggest and fasted bird. An Ostrich, scientifically known as a Struthio camelus, is the world’s biggest bird. An ostrich is a huge flightless bird inherent to Africa. This common ostrich is one of the two extant species of ostriches and the only living members of the genus Struthio in the ratite order of birds. This sought after bird by travellers on Uganda birding safaris, has a unique appearance that distinguishes it from other birds you will encounter on your bird watching safari in Uganda. An ostrich has a small head and big wings, a long neck and legs with massive two large forward-pointing toes with a body of about 1.8-2.75 m. This bird weighs up to 155 kg.

The male ostriches are black with white wings as well as tail feathers. This colour is meant to attract females to them. The female ostriches have a brownish-grey colour with brighter legs. Their necks are always pink during breeding. They possess very large eyes measuring almost 5 cm across allowing them to spot predators like lions from afar.
Ostriches walk at an average speed of 4km/hour! However, in case of a warning sign of predators threatening it or taking away its eggs, the bird can race at a terrific speed of 55 km/h (34 mph) or even up to about 70 km/h (43 mph) -the fastest land speed of any bird. So, on your wildlife safari in Uganda or Uganda bird watching tour to Kidepo Valley National Park, you won’t miss the sight of this wonderful bird. All you shouldn’t do I to get close to its eggs or else be ready to gallop at a faster speed.

This is the world’s largest living bird and lays the largest eggs of all birds in Uganda. In Uganda, it is only found in Kidepo Valley National Park Uganda one of the distant and rewarding Uganda wildlife safari destinations far northeastern part of the country. Ostriches like dust bathing and at times you may find them burying their heads in the sand while the rest of the body is seen.
Ostriches are generally silent but during mating season, they display a range of roars, booms and hisses. The male bird is known for its booming call that can be heard over 1 km away. They are very strong birds and can harm their predators like lions and humans by just kicking and can even cause harm some times.

An ostrich lays up to 15 eggs a month, each laid after every two days especially during the dry months of the year, usually between February and June. The preparation of the laying ground is done by the male ostrich as it digs a hole of about 1-meter-wide and 1-foot-deep then later fills it with lake sand. This helps to generate warmth that would enable hatching when the eggs are laid.

Ostriches have a complex breeding system with the major and minor birds ably laying eggs in the same nest. Usually one major and 5-6 minors lay an average of 25 eggs in the same nest. With incubation, the major hen/female incubates during the day while the Cock/male takes its turn during the night. After this routine, for about 6 weeks the chicks hatch and leave the nest after 4 days. They are fully mature at the age of three to four years.

Ostriches are omnivores and therefore feed on things like locusts, seeds, flowers, fruits and swallow sand and pebbles. However, they do not have teeth, therefore, swallow pebbles to grind their food. The bird can go without drinking water for several days surviving on metabolic water and moisture ingested in roots, seeds and insects.

Who is the Ostrich scared of?

The Egyptian Vulture is the major predator to the Ostrich preying on its eggs. Each vulture can eat six or more eggs at a time. The vulture uses stones to break Ostrich eggs and because of this it is called “The tool-using Egyptian Vulture.” Lions too are also predators to the ostriches.
Kidepo National Park is known as one of the best wildernesses in Africa and a surprisingly distant Uganda safari destination where no one should miss. When you are planning to safari Uganda, don’t hesitate to visit this wilderness filled with unique wild species.

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