Struthionidae

The Struthionidae is an Old World family comprising just one species, one of the worlds most unmistakable birds, the Ostrich (Struthio camelus).

Additional information

Ostriches occus mostly in pairs or family groups of up to 40. They are always alert: periods of foraging alternate with standing, head raised, looking for predators. The birds are keen-sighted and often detect approaching danger earlier than many antilopes.

These birds are mostly silent, but adult males become vocal at the onset of the breeding season, with a deep, booming note like a distant lion roaring and audible for up to 3 km. The call is given either to attract females or to alert other males.

Taxonomy

The Strutionidae contain only one species, the Ostrich (Struthio camelus). All related species since the Eocene are extinct.

There are five subspecies:

• S. c. australis (Southern Ostrich)
• S. c. camelus (North African Ostrich or Red-necked Ostrich)
• S. c. massaicus (Masai Ostrich)
• S. c. syriacus (Middle Eastern Ostrich)
• S. c. molybdophanes (Somali Ostrich)

Some analyses indicate that the last subspecies, the Somali Ostrich, may be better considered as a full species. But their is no consensus under the experts.