Although ostriches are very large and unable to fly, (the largest flightless bird in existence) they are capable of swimming. Though not very quickly. They have been known to swim successfully across strong currents. One was even seen swimming across a flooded area when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.

The way these birds are equipped most likely only works to their advantage when it comes to swimming. Their long, bare necks are flat and they have long, powerful bare legs and strong feet with two sharp claws on each foot. Their massive leg muscles enable them to deliver a powerful kick which can seriously injure or kill an attacker, and are very helpful when kicking to and fro to swim. Another interesting fact to know is that ostriches can only kick forward.

These powerful birds contain their main musculature in the hips and thighs so it comes as no surprise that they are able to swim quite well. Their long legs enable them to run at speeds of over 65 kilometers (40 miles per hour). These birds prefer savannah, grassland and semi desert habitats where water sources are also available. They enjoy water, swimming, and taking baths.

Strictly speaking, ostriches are not carnivores because they do not only eat meat, nor are they herbivores because they do not stick to a plant based diet only. Ostriches are considered omnivorous creatures and basically eat anything they come across as well as the things that many other animals are unable to digest. They mainly feed on plant based materials such as grass, seeds, fruits, and leaves from trees and bushes. However every now and then they do enjoy eating small vertebrates such as lizards, frogs and birds and invertebrates such as insects including locusts, grasshoppers and worms.

Interestingly enough, ostriches do not have teeth and often swallow pebbles or sand to help with food digestion in the gizzard. Food collects in the crop and then slides down the neck in a bolus. The ostrich has intestines that are 14 meters long which helps it get the most out of the tough plant based food sources it eats. These interesting creatures are able to go without water for several days due to the fact that they can survive on the moisture from plants instead. They also are capable of making their own water internally.

Ostriches do not have teeth. Since they do not have teeth they can often be found eating stones or sand. An adult ostrich carries about 2.2 pounds of stones in the gizzard (the bird’s second stomach). The reason for eating these stones is to help grind their food and digest it easier and accurately when it finally reaches the gizzard.

It is true that ostriches can or have been ridden. In some countries, people have been known to race each other while riding on the back of ostriches. This practice is quite common in Africa and relatively rare and unusual everywhere else in the world. These birds are ridden much in the same way that a person would ride a horse. Special saddles, reigns, and bits are used. However, these birds are much harder to manage than horses.

Ostrich racing is a huge part of modern South African culture. Within the United States, a tourist attraction in Jacksonville, Florida called ‘The Ostrich Farm’ opened its doors in 1892 and its races soon became one of the most famous early attractions in the history of Florida. Also in the United States is the annual Ostrich Festival. This festival features ostrich races. Racing has also occurred in many other locations including: Virginia City, Nevada, Minnesota, and Kentucky.

One of the first things to know about riding an ostrich is that it is a lot trickier than riding a horse. Where a horse has a nice, sturdy, long mane to grab onto and hold, ostriches necks are flimsy and coil away from you when you reach for it. A horse has four legs, ostriches only have two. This makes riding them more difficult as well.

Some have suggested that riding an ostrich may be easier or safer than riding a horse once you get used to it since it only has two legs rather than four. Only having two legs makes it nearly impossible for the large bird to buck you off of its back like a horse can. This is to the rider’s advantage.

The ostrich, a beautiful bird native to the savannah’s and grasslands of South Africa and also introduced to Australia is the world’s largest bird that is unable to fly. Their body mass is too large for their wingspan and cannot support their weight as well as their wing muscles and they have evolved in such a way that they no longer possess the innate knowledge of how to fly.

It is also said that birds such as the ostrich and the emu gave up on flight because they became fat and lazy when the dinosaurs died off. An abundance of food and a lack of predators following the dinosaur’s extinction resulted in a number of birds fattening up and made many of them simply stop taking flight altogether.

In height, ostriches can grow to measure 1.7-2.8 meters also known as 5.5-9.4 feet. They can weigh anywhere from 130-150 kilograms. Despite being flightless birds, they are equipped with small wings that are covered with fluffy feathers. These wings are much too small to lift the bird’s massive bodies off of the ground and into the air but are used as rudders when the bird is running to help it change its direction.

Since they are too fat and no longer capable of flying to flee from danger, the ostrich can often be seen using its posture to intimidate a rival or predator or when it feels threatened. When doing this it can be seen fluffing up its wings and hissing loudly. These birds are also designed to be very speedy. They outrun predators such as lions, hyenas and leopards all the time. They have also been known to vocalize a lot. One might even find them whistling, hissing, booming or snorting at a predator to scare it away.