Why do ostriches bury their heads




















Share on twitter. Share on reddit. Share on pinterest. Share on whatsapp. Share on email. Christmas Gift Shop Presents, stocking fillers, decorations, and more. Shop now. A Bird Friendly Garden Create a haven for wild birds. Click here. More questions answered. How Do Kingfishers Catch Fish? Ostriches are the largest living birds, but their heads are pretty small.

But they do dig holes in the dirt to use as nests for their eggs. Several times a day, a bird puts her head in the hole and turns the eggs. So it really does look like the birds are burying their heads in the sand! So it's not surprising that people believe they also hang from branches.

That skill isn't useful—there's no point. But the bird is probably learning to fly and shouldn't be disturbed. The tale may have been invented to keep people from handling young birds. When it's time to start a family, the ostrich digs a massive hole measuring between 6 and 8 feet wide and 2 to 3 feet deep. They bury the eggs safely in the ground, then mom and dad take turns sitting on the eggs to protect them until they're ready to hatch. A few times a day, the ostrich parents dip their heads below the ground to gently turn the eggs using their beaks [source: American Ostrich Association ].

This relatively brief head-duck -- which lasts only as long as it takes the ostrich to inspect and arrange the eggs to its satisfaction -- may have given rise to the head-burying myth. The legend could also be attributed to the fact that a nesting ostrich who senses danger may flop down with his head and neck flat against the ground in hopes that potential predators won't spot him. In this position, he can potentially blend into the terrain, though his head never actually goes underground [source: San Diego Zoo ].

Of course, even flopping to the ground and hoping trouble passes by isn't the bird's first instinct; he only takes this path if he can't outrun the trouble or fight it off. When he has eggs to protect, instinct tells the ostrich to run, spurring predators to pursue him [source: American Ostrich Association]. Thanks to their superior speed, ostriches are likely to easily outrun any animals that dares to chase them, leaving their eggs and themselves free from harm.

Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close. It's true. Those poor ostriches are getting a bad reputation.

Glad we could help clear things up! Hi, Anne! Users used to be able to submit photos to the Media Gallery. We have since removed the photos since they were not related to the Wonder. Thanks for pointing that out! Great to hear, FierHeat! We would love to find out! We agree, FireHeart! Maybe you could visit a zoo and see one in person. Good afternoon, I am a Dragon named NightClaws! There are many things to consider before starting any type of farm.

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Welcome back, Dragon Slayer! If you didn't have an ostrich farm, an ostrich would be an unusual pet. Hello, Sadie! Some people do choose to eat ostrich as a meat entree. Welcome, DarkRanger! That would be cool to have an ostrich farm. Maybe you can visit one some day. We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Thanks for your patience. Drag a word to its definition.

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