Ostrich

Photo copyright: AS/monacoeye • Do not copy • Images: Kenya • Oct 2009

Bird name: Ostrich
Latin: Struthio camelus
Other:
Family: Struthionidae • Ostrich

The Ostrich is the largest ratite, an ancient group of flightless birds originating in Gondwanaland. They have no keel on their sternum (ratis is Latin for raft), so would not be able to fly even with more developed wings.

Ostriches are native to many parts of tropical Africa, particularly east Africa. Males are generally black and white and females brown.

These ostriches were photographed in Amboseli and the Serengeti.