Common ostrich

The world's largest living bird (order Struthioniformes, family Struthionidae), native to Africa's savannas and semi-deserts. Males stand up to 2.7 m tall and weigh 100–156 kg; females are smaller (~90 kg). They are flightless, with vestigial wings but enormously powerful legs with two toes (unique among birds)—capable of running at 70 km/h (the fastest bipedal land animal). Males have black-and-white plumage; females are grayish-brown. They have the largest eyes of any land vertebrate (~5 cm diameter), providing excellent long-range vision for predator detection. Omnivorous, they eat plants, seeds, roots, insects, and small vertebrates, swallowing stones (gastroliths) to aid digestion. They live in nomadic groups of 5–50. Males perform elaborate courtship dances. Females lay the largest eggs of any living bird (~1.5 kg, ~15 cm long); communal nests may hold 30–60 eggs from multiple females. Incubation: ~42 days. Farmed worldwide for meat, leather (prized for its distinctive quill pattern), feathers, and eggs. Lifespan: 40–50 years. 2n=56. IUCN: Least Concern.