Ostriches in Kidepo valley national park

ostriches in kidepo valley national park, Ostriches are very large birds that cannot fly but can run at about 70kilometres per hour if threatened. They are beautiful birds with small heads, long legs and necks and weigh about 180kilograms and the adult ones are about 2.5metres tall. In Uganda, Kidepo valley National Park is the only park where they can be seen. They are of two types namely, the massaicas and the nominate. Ostriches are also called “Shruthi Camelus”.  Male ostriches are black with white wings, brown eyes, and a tail that is often dirty with soil whereas the female ones have a brownish-grey color.

The females ostriches in kidepo valley national park have brighter legs with pink necks during the breeding season. They hiss, boom or roar, and the male ones always roar like a lion, so much it can be confusing to know if it is an ostrich or lion roaring. They are very strong and can harm their predators by just a kick. They are omnivores so they feed on locusts, seeds, flowers and swallow pebbles.

Their breeding system is difficult as the major and minor ostriches can lay their eggs on the same nest and incubate them in turns, the major going in at day time and the cock at night time. This lasts about six weeks after which the chicks are hatched. Four days from when they are hatched, they join the other chicks to form creches of over 100chicks. They are fully mature after three to four years. Little ostriches have black heads and necks with spotted backs and baked buff. Ostriches are more common in drier areas or wooded grassland.