Nandu structure. Where does the Nandu ostrich live and its species

Nandu are amazing ostriches that attract with their exterior and behavioral characteristics. Birds are valued for egg products - it is low-calorie and has excellent taste. Nanda is also bred for dietary, tender meat. And incredibly beautiful products are made from feathers and animal skin.

Historical information

The Nandu ostrich, according to archaeological excavations, was the first bird that appeared on Earth from its squad. Scientists have long argued over which zoological family an animal belongs to. And still have not come to a consensus. Some are convinced that the South American ostrich is the main representative of the ostriches, others are sure that the ostrich features were acquired during evolution, the rest attribute it to the hidden tails.

The breed became famous in the 16th century. Initially, these were birds domesticated by the Indians, which were used to obtain feathers and meat products. In 1884, Nand was given a description, and in 1894 a family of ostriches appeared, consisting of two species: small and northern. Both are on the verge of extinction due to active hunting for them.

The nandu got its name because of the peculiar voice: it makes a roar of a large predator, for example, a lion. The voice of birds is not like the sounds that birds make. In addition, when the animal begins to “yell”, the sounds of “nan-du” are clearly heard. That is why ostriches got such a name.

Ornithologists note that such sounds are more often made by males during the mating season. But the birds are able to "speak" differently, making slightly hoarse sounds that serve as a danger signal and a warning to their fellows. If Nandu is angry, he starts hissing.

Bird feathers are popularly used to make jewelry, hats, fans and fans. But they are not pulled out, but carefully cut off at the very skin 2 times a year. Birds do not suffer from this. Ostrich skin is valued no less than crocodile skin. It is used to make luxury accessories and expensive women's handbags.

Description of the animal

The Nandu ostrich is a flat-chested or keelless animal with an elongated oval body. It stands on big strong legs. The bird has a long neck and a miniature head. The color of the plumage is brown-gray, grayish-brown or pure gray. There are white spots on the back. Albinos with white plumage and blue eyes are often found among the Nandu.

Unlike African ostriches, South American birds are half the size. Their weight varies within 40 kilograms, and the largest individuals reach a height of 140-150 centimeters. There are short feathers on the neck, which Africans do not have at all.

There are three fingers on the paws, while African ostriches have 2 of them. The fingers are connected by a short membrane, which is why they run worse than their African relative. It is extremely rare for Nandu to reach speeds of more than 60 kilometers per hour. While running, the stride length is 1.5-2 meters.

But this is compensated by the excellent swimming abilities - the ostrich easily overcomes the rivers. While running, Nandu spreads his wings as a sail, which helps him to maneuver better. At the ends of the wings are claws - keratinized processes that allow the bird to defend itself in the event of an attack.

The video shows the common ostrich Nandu up close. Here you can see what this tall and fast bird looks like:

Spreading

Nandu is often found in South America. Ordinary large ostriches are common in Argentina, Paraguay, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay. They prefer open savannas. They settle in low-lying areas with milder and warmer climatic conditions.

Small ostriches are found in the southern regions of Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, South Peru, on the island of Tierra del Fuego. They are capable of being in places at an altitude of up to 4500 kilometers.

Lifestyle and behavior

Usually the preferred time for Nandu is during the day. Only excessive drought and extreme heat can prevent a bird from being active during the daytime. At this time, Nandu is awake in the evening or at night.

Birds live in herds of 10 to 35 individuals. In such a family, there are several males, a couple of females and young animals.

Species status and relationship with humans

The Nandu were used by Indian tribes to obtain feathers and meat for food. Bolas, which are throwing weapons, were used to hunt them. It was made from a belt, and round stones were tied to its end. A little later, Nandu feathers were exported for making jewelry, and the skin of birds was used for various products.

Due to the hunting of birds and the destruction of their habitat, the population has been significantly reduced. Farmers note that Nandu feed on grasses needed to feed their livestock, and flightless individuals are prone to eating grain from the fields. For these reasons, birds are often shot if they appear near agricultural land. Birds suffer no less from wire fences - after severe mutilation, the birds die.

Nandu build their nests in the ground by digging depressions, which are then covered with grass. The male is the main guardian of the home. A feature of the laid egg is its initial sterility, but after cooling, bacteria can penetrate through it. The surface of the eggs must not be washed, even if it is very dirty.

To stimulate high egg production, it is required to remove eggs from nests at least 2 times a day. The average weight of one egg is about 620 grams. In it, the yolk is located in the center, where it lies in layers - light and dark. An intensely colored yolk indicates that a lot of vitamin A is present in the diet of the female.

A distinctive feature of egg products is the incredible benefits and nutritional value. One ostrich egg can replace 10-12 chicken eggs. This is a dietary product that promotes satiety.

Sometimes Nandu eggs are used in folk crafts. The shell of the product is dense, thanks to which creative people make souvenirs from it. Also from eggshell beautiful vases and canvases are obtained.

Nutrition

Nanda likes to eat not only cereals, but also various insects and even small reptiles. They do not have to drink water, they can do very well without it, due to pasture.

At home, birds eat juicy herbs and root crops, preferring beets, boiled potatoes, and carrots. Little ostriches need a lot of protein, they are fed with eggs, fish, cottage cheese, yogurt. Experienced farmers do not recommend giving fresh milk to chicks.

Birds love to feast on locusts - they absorb it in unlimited quantities. Sometimes, due to overeating, the ability to run fast is simply lost.

reproduction

Nandu ostriches attract attention with the breeding process, it begins with the collapse of the flock. Males begin to perform mating dance, dropping to his knees, howling long, spreading his wings.

Flightless birds are considered polygamous, that is, during the mating season, one male can mate with several females at once, sometimes this number reaches 5-7 individuals. Females lay their eggs in a common nest. The incubation period lasts about 1.5-2 months, after which the chicks hatch. The ostriches are incubated by the males. If the eggs were laid outside the nest, a caring male will definitely return them back. During the incubation period, the female becomes the head of the family, bringing food.

25-30 ostriches can be born at the same time, weighing about 500 grams. Toddlers grow quickly, they have strong eyesight and excellent hearing from birth, due to which they are able to move independently. Due to poachers, young animals often do not even live up to 1 year.

Caring for offspring

Although Nandu is a polygamous bird, he is prone to taking care of his own offspring. Already in early spring, the male begins to intensively care for his lady. At this time, the female has an increase in egg production. The male prepares a nest for his chosen one in advance - he covers the dug hole with grass or hay, which gives softness and warmth. The bird carefully guards its beloved and nest. And if someone approaches, it starts to hiss.

Females lay eggs in one nest. At home, you need to carefully monitor the cleanliness of the nests, because bacteria can penetrate into the eggs through the shell. After laying eggs, females immediately look for other partners, while Nandu males incubate chicks without leaving eggs for a minute.

Nandu breeding

The ostrich feels great in captivity. Birds are grown on special farms for further production of feathers, skins, egg and meat products. It is especially popular to breed birds specifically for obtaining eggs, because it is known that many useful substances and trace elements are present in their composition.

Breeding Nandu ostriches today is no longer considered exotic. If you approach this process competently and responsibly, you will be able to make good profits and build a good business. At home, Nanda is bred in several ways:

• Adult Nandu are kept in closed enclosures, but they are regularly walked. The male is allowed to incubate the eggs, but he must also take care of the young, as well as protect the ostriches from predators. In captivity, the male can incubate more than 20 eggs.
• Keeping parents in open pens or insulated rooms guarantees excellent egg production. All eggs are taken from the female and transferred to the incubator. It is believed that if you take eggs from a bird more often, then they will appear constantly. It is optimal to take eggs from the female at least 2 times a day.

When choosing any option, it is permissible to give part of the eggs to the bird for incubation, and collect the other half for the incubator.

rearing chicks

Newborn ostriches reach a height of about 20 centimeters. They grow very quickly, about 1 centimeter per day. In general, birds reach a height of about 1.5 meters. For the first three days, the chicks are not fed, they are not given water - this contributes to the speedy resorption of the gall sac. Be sure to keep ostriches at a temperature of no more than 32-33 degrees.

An ostrich called nandu is a fairly large animal of its kind. This flightless bird lives mainly in South America. Although very similar large ostriches also live on the African continent.

An ostrich called nandu is a fairly large animal of its kind.

The degree of relationship of these animals from different parts of the world is currently disputed by many scientists. Among the main differences between ostriches are the size, number of toes and plumage on the neck.

Nandu bird prefers subtropical climate

The emergence of the species

Scientists historians suggest that the Nanda ostrich appeared on earth a long time ago, as evidenced by archaeological excavations. Moreover, this flightless bird arose as the very first of its numerous family of the most diverse individuals. For this reason, it is very difficult to find the correct evolutionary system for animals. In general, there are several versions in zoology, according to which the Nanda ostrich belongs to one or another order.

One hypothesis says that these flightless birds from the South American continent are the main group that is found within the collection of ostriches. However, a completely new assumption of scientists contains information about convergent evolution. As a result of these complex transformational processes, rhea-like flightless birds only outwardly resemble ostrich-like animals. In fact, the creatures in question belong to the order of hidden tails.

The ostrich of South America has been known to people since the 16th century. According to some historical data, these creatures lived among the Indians. In addition, the number of nandu in the human settlements of that time was quite large. After all, the Indians often used their feathers, skin and meat.

The modern South American ostrich is of two types, which include the northern and small. Unfortunately, this type of flightless bird is on the verge of extinction.

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Nandu ostrich (video)

habitats

The Nandu bird prefers a subtropical climate, so these ostriches live better in a subtropical climate. It is for this reason that the flightless bird can now be seen in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. The American ostrich loves places that are free from numerous thickets, which are more like a savannah. The high plains and Patagonian lowlands are ideal for birds. Large rhea can be seen in South America, where there is a fairly warm climate. Small species of birds live on high ground (more than 4 km). The Nandu ostrich also lives near the subpolar extreme south of the South American continent.

Features of life

The American ostrich prefers to stay awake during the daytime. Although a significant increase in temperature environment these flightless birds can only be active in the evening when it gets cooler.

However, rhea also actively flaps its wings when moving quickly, which helps to maintain balance. These animals defend themselves and attack using a sharp claw located in the upper part of the body. This ostrich can swim across the river without much difficulty., even if the main feature of the reservoir is a strong current. Although other individuals of the detachment are completely unable to stay on the water.

In the same flock of nandu, several individuals of males usually live. This order is explained by the fact that 7 females can be fertilized by one representative of the opposite sex. All Nanda females lay their eggs in one nest, which will soon be incubated by the male for 2 months. If the egg was laid outside the established place, a caring representative of the males carefully places it in the common clutch. Later, about 30 chicks are born. To start breeding, an ostrich must reach the age of three. However, the chicks grow up very quickly, although after birth their weight is only 0.5 kg. Shortly before the mating period, large flocks of flightless birds, which include about 25 individuals, break up into small groups.

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Nandu ostriches living in the pampas can form mixed communities with other animals. Local deer, cows and sheep are usually included in the newly formed group, creating favorable conditions for the survival of all species.

When young birds are threatened, they begin to hide under the wide wings of their parents. But if such actions are not effective, then the whole family flees, moreover, the dominant male is the very first to lead all the others. The group's trajectory is a curve.

Nandu birds feel good near water bodies, which is not typical for other varieties of this order.

Gallery: Nandu ostrich (50 photos)

Bird food from South America

Nandu, like other ostrich species, consume a variety of fruits and broad-leaved plants. Roots and seeds are also included in the diet of these flightless birds. Animal foods include insects and small vertebrates. Some people claim that Nandu ostriches can destroy poisonous reptiles, but so far no one has been able to prove this.

Ostriches from South America extract drink from plants, even from those that have been in drought conditions for a long time. Nandu are adapted for living conditions in hot regions. This type of ostrich is of great benefit to farmers, because birds like to eat thistles, which spoil the wool of sheep, fodder plantings grow poorly. In order for food to be well ground in the stomach and then absorbed by the body, ostriches often swallow gastroliths.

Interesting facts about the speed of the ostrich

Unusual sounds of individuals

Unlike other species of birds, Nandu ostriches make a special sound, which is more like the growl of a large animal. If you listen to it, you can hear "nan-du", which is why the name of these flightless birds arose. During the mating season, males always make such an unusual sound. In addition, males perform a special mating dance. And if the Nanda ostriches feel the approach of danger, then you can hear a hoarse call from them, designed to warn other members of the flock.

With a loud hiss, flightless birds usually scare away the enemy, thus trying to frighten him. At the same time, ostriches begin to stretch their necks and open their beaks wide. This is what happens when a dangerous predator approaches. Good eyesight and hearing are a feature of the rhea ostrich.

Interaction between humans and animals

It is known that the first Indian tribes living in the vastness of the South American continent hunted Nanda ostriches for further use of their meat and eggs for food. To catch this fleeing bird, people took with them devices made of belts and stones, which were called bolas. The feathers of individuals were widely used by the Indians to create jewelry and various things. Nandu ostriches are able to herd sheep and geese. Today at Latin America you can find about 600 farms where they contain such individuals.

Breeding rules (video)

Scientists have proven that ostrich eggs are very useful for people with ailments of the cardiovascular system of the body. They are often compared to chicken eggs in terms of taste, although 1 ostrich egg can replace more than a dozen chicken eggs. The shell of rhea eggs is thick enough to allow artisans to make various ornaments and vases.

Ostriches are the largest birds in the world. We used to mistakenly confuse African with American, but in fact they are significantly different from each other. Who is the American Nandu ostrich, and what are its advantages over other representatives?

• This bird has three fingers, and the beak is 12 cm long.
• While running, the rhea raises one wing to maintain balance.
• The weight is not as large as that of the other brothers, only up to 50 kg. And growth is about 1.5 m in height.
• The body of the American ostrich is all covered with feathers, and even the neck. The feathers are soft and fluffy.
• At the tips of the wings there are sharp claws with which they defend themselves from the enemy.
• They run slower than others, but they can swim well. They can even cross rivers with strong currents.
• The Nandu ostrich got its name from the sounds it makes as a call during the breeding season.
• To intimidate the enemy or declare an alarm, they hiss menacingly.
• They live in savannahs, lowlands or in mountainous areas.
• Hatch eggs and take care of the chicks that have appeared.
• Not only the meat and eggs of ostriches of the South American "nationality" are valued, but the skin, as well as the shell of the eggs.

Difference Nandu - the ability to swim

Nutrition

The South American ostrich eats not only cereals, but also likes to eat various insects and even small reptiles. But they do not experience a special need for water, they can do without it for a long time, compensating for its lack from pasture. At home, they are offered juicy herbs and root crops: beets, carrots, boiled potatoes. Nanda ostrich chicks are in dire need of a large amount of protein, so they are given yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs and fish, but experienced farmers do not recommend feeding them with fresh milk.

Behavior

The peak of activity of these ostriches falls mainly in the daytime, but when it is very hot, it is transferred to the early evening. They live in packs of 5 to 30 individuals, get along well with other animals: cows, deer, sheep. Due to this feature, people often use rhea as guards for their flock. The head of the pack can be only one male, in rare cases - two. One male fertilizes no more than seven females. Nandu very jealously protect their personal space and for non-compliance with the boundaries they can attack not only a stranger, but also their relatives.

Like Emu, Nandu females do not care for or incubate chicks, the male does.

custody of offspring

Despite the fact that the ostrich is a polygamous bird, he does not mind taking care of his own offspring.

Already in early spring, the male begins to intensively court his lady, chasing her. During this period, an increase in oviposition in the female is observed. For his chosen one, the rhea prepares a nest in advance - this is a dug hole, at the bottom of which grass or hay is laid for softness and warmth. The ostrich guards the female and the nest very carefully, frightening everyone with its outstretched neck and menacing hiss. All the ladies lay their eggs in one nest, or the ostrich rolls them into Right place. At home, you need to carefully observe the cleanliness of the nest, because bacteria can penetrate the eggs through the shell. As soon as the eggs are laid, the females go in search of other partners. But the male Nandu incubates the eggs for 40 days, not leaving them for a minute. Usually there are 20 - 25 eggs in the nest, but there may be about 50. Of course, not all develop successfully.

Newborn chicks are small, about 400 g, so the father continues to take care of them. He takes care of the chicks up to six months, and then they take care of themselves.

One of the largest and most remarkable animals that inhabit the steppes of South America is the rhea. This bird, outwardly resembling an African ostrich, nevertheless, belongs to a separate order Nandu-shaped (Rheiformes), which includes the only Nandu family (Rheidae) and the genus Nandu (Rhea). The birds got their name for their invocative cry during the breeding season - "nan-du".

Some data obtained during the excavations suggests that the nandu were the very first flightless birds, and ostriches in this case are descended from the nandu. The basis for such assumptions is the extreme antiquity of the nandu. Judging by the studies of zoologists, nandu existed in the Eocene, and the finds made by archaeologists suggest that they arose as early as the Paleocene. Thus, Nanda is one of the oldest families of birds on earth. Similarities with African ostriches and emus were obtained by American rhea during the so-called convergent evolution, when unrelated species form similar traits under the influence of the same environmental conditions. All of these large, flightless birds belong to the same subclass of ratites, but they are about the same degree of relationship as the penguin and the swallow.

True, the question of kinship between ostriches and nandu has not yet been resolved. Some researchers suggest that they may not be related at all, evolution took place separately, and the similarity is purely accidental.

Two types of rhea are known. The first - the most common - is called the northern or common rhea (Rhea americana), it inhabits the steppes of Brazil and Argentina. The second species bears the name of the famous Darwin (Rhea pennata), or sometimes it is also called the long-billed rhea. Darwin Nandu lives in Patagonia, in the mountain steppes of the Andes. It is somewhat smaller than its northern relative, its color is more faded and inconspicuous, which allows it to successfully hide in the grass in case of danger.

Darwin's rhea has to hide from enemies much more often than run away from them - this species has very weak legs and quickly runs out of steam over long distances. But the Darwin rhea is decorated with a longer beak than the northern one, as a result of which it got its second name. True, in matters of survival, a long beak does not help him much.

The northern nandu is more interesting. This is a rather large bird, the growth of an adult is over one and a half meters, and the weight can reach 50 kg. The nandu has huge eyes, decorated with surprisingly lush, to the envy of all movie stars, eyelashes. Like a professional runner, the rhea has well-developed legs, but the wings, which, oddly enough, are quite large for flightless bird, very soft and weak and easily bend in different directions, like thin twigs. The bird's feathers are long, reminiscent of fern leaves, and are quite in demand as decoration. The legs end in powerful, callused feet, on which four toes grow.

The middle finger, the longest, is armed with a hard and very sharp claw. If the rhea suddenly changes his mind about fleeing from the enemy and decides to defend himself, then the claw will play the role of a terrible weapon: regardless of whether the ostrich kicks forward or backward, this claw, like a sharp knife, will cut into the body of the enemy, tearing and tearing it apart.
But such horrors, of course, can only occur as a last resort. Nandu are more than peaceful birds and will always prefer flight to a fight.

In general, these two species do not differ much from each other. Both have long legs and necks, a flat beak and large eyes on a relatively small head, and surprisingly soft plumage that covers the entire body, neck, and thighs. The rhea is the only ratite bird that does not have a gallbladder. They are painted quite modestly and inconspicuously. However, among the grayish-brown birds, one can often see an albino rhea with light plumage and blue eyes.

Developing a running speed comparable to the speed of a car (up to 50-60 km / h), nandu help themselves with their wings, spreading them for balance. During mating games and fights, birds intimidate the enemy with sharp claws, located one on each wing.

The diet of the Nandu is extremely diverse. Birds eat fruits, leaves, rhizomes of plants, as well as large insects, lizards, scorpions, spiders, small rodents and birds. These omnivorous birds will not refuse fish thrown ashore. Nandu can do without water for a long time, satisfying the need for it through food.

Nandu live in groups of up to 30 individuals. Often they can be found near grazing herds of llamas, cows, pampas deer. Such unexpected alliances with ungulates benefit everyone. Birds have excellent eyesight, and mammals have a good sense of smell, which makes it easy to spot a predator.

During the breeding season, the groups break up, and the males disperse to areas. On its territory, the male builds a nest, carefully framing the earthen hole with twigs and dry leaves. Females move from one site to another, mating with the host and laying eggs. Thus, a large number of eggs from several females can accumulate in the nest, sometimes their number can reach 80 pieces. The father takes care of the eggs and chicks. After about a month of incubation (from 23 to 43 days), babies appear from the eggs. Surprisingly, all chicks are born within 36 hours, while the laying time for females can vary up to 2 weeks.

Nandu have few natural enemies: puma, jaguar and feral dogs. Nandu eggs and chicks are the most vulnerable. But the most dangerous enemy for these birds is man. Farmers consider them harmful animals and often shoot the birds if they enter their lands. Nandu meat and eggs have always been valued, but now birds are specially bred for this purpose. Some birds are then released into the wild, not only in the original habitats of the nandu, but also in Germany. In 2009, the wild nandu population in Germany was about 100 individuals.

In case of danger, the entire yellow-striped community quickly runs to its parent and hides under its wide wings. If such actions do not help in any way, then the whole family goes into an orderly flight: the father rushes ahead, constantly changing course, making sharp turns and jumps to the sides, like a hare, striped kids try to keep up with him.

“I never imagined that terrestrial birds could move as quickly and easily as birds in flight,” wrote Gerald Durrell in his book Under the Canopy of the Drunken Forest, “but I could see it that morning.” . Eight nandu, forming a wedge, ran with all their might. Their feet moved with such speed that they merged into indistinct, indistinct spots; it was possible to distinguish them only at the moment when they touched the ground, giving the bird a push forward.

Chicks grow very quickly, in two weeks they reach sixty centimeters in height. Six months later, the little nandu are no longer small at all - they are as tall as a parent, and after two or three years they begin to change their children's plumage to an adult one - monotonously gray and approximately the same for both males and females. By this time, the chicks finally mature in order to start a family on their own.

Local farmers often hunt rhea with dogs, with guns and with the help of boladoras - metal balls tied together with a rope. Farmers blame the rhea for eating too much grass suitable for sheep. The only thing that saves these birds from the complete extermination is that they are quite easily tamed and live quite freely on many farms, using all the “rights” of livestock.

The natural range of the American ostrich, the largest representative of its species, is South America. It is often confused with the African ostrich as they are very similar. The main differences between the two breeds are the number of fingers on the paw and plumage in the neck area.

The South American ostrich, according to archaeological excavations, was the first bird that appeared on Earth from its order. Scientists for a long time could not understand which zoological family the feathered one should be attributed to. There is still no consensus. Some believe that the Nandu ostrich is the main representative of the ostriches, others that it acquired ostrich features during evolution, and others classify it as a hidden tail.

The flightless inhabitants of the savannas have been known to people since the 16th century. They were originally domesticated by the Indians, who used them for meat and feathers. In 1884, a description was given to the Nandu-like order, and in 1849, the Nandu family appeared, consisting of 2 species: the northern ostrich and the small one. Both are on the verge of extinction due to active hunting.

Description of the breed

The Nandu ostrich is considered one of the most large birds in the world due to its large size. His height reaches 270 cm, weight - 175 kg, step - 4 m. He quickly gains acceleration to 60 km / h, without slowing down even when cornering.

Characteristic appearance rhea:

• bulging eyes;
• Sexual dimorphism is expressed by black body feathers of males;
• Long neck covered with feathers, unlike the African ostrich;
• Small head;
• Oval body;
• Strong legs with 3 toes each.

They live in packs of up to 30 individuals, during the mating season they break into pairs. Elderly individuals prefer a separate lifestyle. Coexist with sheep, deer, cows.

While the flock is sleeping, one ostrich guards them in order to warn them of danger in time. At night, birds sleep, waking up every 15-20 minutes. They stretch their long neck on the sand or lay their heads on their bodies.

They run using their wings actively, which allows them to accelerate and maintain balance.

They defend themselves from enemies with sharp claws. One strong blow with a paw can kill a lion.

Predators are scared away by strongly stretching the neck, opening the beak and hissing loudly. The sounds made are similar to the growl of a large animal. They have strong eyesight and hearing, so they are rarely caught off guard.

If necessary, to save the young, they can pretend to be dead, but if the danger does not pass, they start running. The male runs ahead of the whole pack, moving along a curve.

An ostrich from South America easily swims across a body of water with a strong current. He loves water, but can do without it for a very long time, getting moisture from plants. Sleeps during the day, especially if the weather is too hot, and wakes up in the evening when it gets cooler.

Interestingly, the Indians invented a special device for hunting fast birds - bolas. It consisted of belts and cloth.

Habitat

The South American ostrich prefers a subtropical climate. The most populated distribution areas are Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil. Settles in savannahs, on hills and lowlands.

Interestingly, the smaller the feathered one, the more higher altitude above sea level it builds a nest.

In 1998, several American ostriches escaped from a farm in Lübeck because the enclosures were not strong and the fence was too low. As a result, the nandu were free, easily adapting to new conditions. Now exotic birds can be found even in Germany.

In the natural habitat of ostriches, their number is reduced due to the love of eating grains and grasses on farmlands. For the owner, this threatens with hungry cattle, so he installs a fence with barbed wire. Clumsy ostriches die from this. But there are examples of the peaceful coexistence of birds and humans. So in Argentina, farmers noticed that they can be used as shepherds for geese and sheep.

In captivity, they need a lot of space. It is important to equip the territory for walking, a place for enclosures and water supply systems, areas for walking young animals.

reproduction

Reproduction begins with the fact that the flock breaks up. Males perform a mating dance, kneeling down, uttering a drawn-out “on-a-ndu” cry and spreading their feathers.

It is believed that they got their name precisely because of this feature of reproduction - a kind of mating cry, which resembles the sounds of cats.

The birds are polygamous - in the flock during the breeding season, there are 5-7 females per 1 male. The female lays eggs, and after laying, the males incubate them for 2 months. If they were demolished outside the nest, a caring father will bring them back. During the incubation period, the female brings food to the head of the family.

25-30 chicks are born at the same time. They grow rapidly and already at birth weigh 500 g. They immediately have strong eyesight and hearing, and can move independently. Sexual maturity is reached at the age of 3 years. Young animals often do not live even up to a year due to poachers.

At home, there are several breeding options:

• When parents are kept in open pens or insulated rooms for good egg production. All eggs are taken from the female, transferring them to the incubator. Interestingly, the more often you collect eggs, the more often they will appear. It is optimal to take a fence twice a day;
• Keep parents in closed enclosures, but walk all year round. Allow the male to incubate the eggs, but take care of the young on their own, protecting them from predators. In captivity, it is impossible to achieve that an individual incubates eggs in an amount of more than 20 pieces.

In both cases, you can give part of the eggs for incubation to the feathered one, and collect part for the incubator. They are very useful for the human body, they replace 10 chicken eggs. Recommended for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system.

When ostriches prepare for laying on their own, they build nests in recesses and cover them with grass. Freshly laid ostrich eggs are completely sterile, but they lose these properties as they cool.

Bacteria easily penetrate the shell, so they cannot be washed, even if they are dirty.

Weigh 600-650 g.

The yolk is located strictly in the center, consists of light and dark layers. Its rich color indicates that there is too much vitamin A in the female's diet. The eggshell is colored light yellow. Interestingly, the eggs of an immature female are empty.

Nutrition

American ostriches feed on carrion, reptiles, fruits, broad-leaved plants, roots, and small vertebrates. Some claim that ostriches can kill poisonous snakes, but this has not been scientifically proven.

Ostriches are useful to grow on a farm, as they eat thistles that spoil the wool of sheep.

In captivity and wild nature The diet of birds for 80% consists of plant foods. Occasionally they swallow small stones and sand so that food is better digested.

They love to eat locusts. There were times when they were so full that they could not run. At home, they are fed with oats, wheat, barley. In winter, they give hay, raw and boiled potato skins, carrots, and beets. Young animals are fed with animal feed with a high protein content, yogurt, cottage cheese, fish, boiled chicken eggs.

In difficult conditions, the food of birds is reduced to the waste of artiodactyls.