The largest of birds is the African ostrich. The name of this not flying bird is translated from Greek as "sparrow camel". This giant lays also the largest eggs.
Very often the size of the eggs laid by birds is not proportional to the size of the bird. Usually big size eggs with the large volume of a nutritious yolk are laid by those types at which baby birds hatch rather developed and capable almost at once to take care of itself. From small eggs the baby birds are born helpless and weak.
Baby birds of an ostrich
The baby bird of an ostrich shows force in egg. It within an hour punches a thick shell, planting the feet there and back eggs and hollowing a beak until the hole appears. Having made several such openings, a baby bird beat with a nape a shell, getting at the same time a hematoma, but achieving the objective.
Strausyata appear from egg able to see and active, up to 1.2 kg. Next day they are capable to travel with the parent in search of food, and at monthly age to run with a decent speed – 50 km/h. It is interesting that baby birds of ostriches from different groups at a meeting can mix up, and divide them there is no opportunity. Parents fight for baby birds and winners care for all group.
Way of life of ostriches
The adult ostrich has growth to 250 cm and weight about 150 kg. It has a naked long neck and a little head with big eyes. On a back the ostriches have underdeveloped wings, standing - only two fingers, one of which on the end contains similarity of a horn hoof. Blows of a powerful ostrich's leg are terrible even for lions if these birds are protected at protection of the territory. Usually in case of danger the ostriches rush to flight, taking huge three-four-meter steps with a speed about 70 km/h. As a rule, ostriches keep small families. It is some kind of harem with one male, four-five females and baby birds. Ostriches eat vegetable food, but sometimes eat insects and small animals. At young age of the strausyat eat animal food. Ostriches have no teeth therefore for crushing and digestion of food in a stomach they swallow of stones, pieces of a tree and other objects. Life expectancy at an ostrich approximately same, as well as at the person – 70 years.
Eggs of an ostrich
The male forms couple with one female of a harem with which then hatches out baby birds. Other females lay eggs in a pole about 60 cm in depth which was prepared by a male. Eggs of straw-colored, white or dark green color weighing 1.5-2 kg in length reach 15 - 21 cm. The laying may contain from 15 to 60 eggs. Nasizhivaniye proceeds from 35 to 45 days. Many germs perish from overcooling as they often are left without supervision. Ostriches break the spoiled eggs, and the flies who are flown to them serve as animal food for the hatched baby birds. There are ostrich's farms on which birds are grown up for the sake of meat, feathers and eggs. Thanks to a thick egg-shell three months do not spoil, and can be stored in the fridge also up to 6 months. The taste of eggs of an ostrich reminds chicken.