Ostrich

Did you know that the ostrich is the biggest bird in the world? Did you know it has feathers? Did you know it can’t fly? It cannot fly, but it can run fast—very fast. It uses its wings to flap up and down and keep it cool.

It is easy to tell if ostriches are boys or girls. Girls have brown and gray feathers. Boys have black feathers. They also have white feathers.

A male ostrich has one “main hen.” He digs a nest for her, and she lays the eggs in it. They both take turns sitting on the eggs to keep them warm. He also has other hens, but only has a nest with one.

When the eggs are six weeks old, they hatch, and baby chicks are born. These babies have spotted necks, and their bodies are brown and gray. They look like fluffy fur balls. Their necks are long and so are their legs. The first day they can walk and get their own food.

By the time they are one year old, they are as tall as their parents and are having families of their own.