Ostrich

Scientific Name: Struthio camelus

Habitat: Ostriches are found in the wild in Southern and Eastern Parts of Africa in areas that have open plains.

Diet: Ostrich are omnivorous but their main diet is plants, occasionally they eat insects or the odd lizard. In captivity ostrich are fed pellets and some fruit.

Interesting Facts:

• Ostrich can take a stride of up to 16ft.
• Ostrich can sprint at 40mph and maintain a speed of 30mph.
• Ostrich can weigh up to 150Kg and can grow up to 10ft making them the largest bird species.
• The ostrich egg is the largest egg of all birds; it is equivalent to 24 chicken eggs.
• Ostrich have the biggest eyes out of any land mammal almost two inches long.

The Ostrich at Woodbine: Due to their size and possible aggressive nature especially during the breeding season it is a legal requirement to hold a Dangerous Wild Animal License. Woodbine has 3 adult males defined by their red beaks and black feathers tipped with white and 6 adult females, which you can tell by their brown feathers. The pen by the farmhouse houses this years chicks which grow at 1ft per month!