Golly, Gee Whiz... *8* people signed in and no one saying anything???

[Warph]

Hi sixdogsmom, Diane Amberg, Dee Gee, proelkco, sunnysideup, Mom70x7, IGDenton, Wilma...  What's up?

[Wilma]

Didn't find anything I wanted to read.

[Mom70x7]

Read, didn't find anything worth discussing.

[Warph]

Didn't find anything I wanted to read.

Read, didn't find anything worth discussing.

Ok, guys... here's something.  One of my favorite places to visit is our wildlife zoo here in Surprise. 
My favorites is the Ostrich's...

checkout the the place:  http://www.wildlifeworld.com/

[Wilma]

You want a discussion?  Where did that guy in the last photo get his false teeth?

[Warph]

Whooohooo... 11 people signed in now and only two, Ross and myself, have posted.  I guess no one has anything to talk about.     

[Diane Amberg]

Ya wouldn't want me to do a quick lesson on apostrophes and simple plurals wouldja? No? I didn't think so.HA! Ostriches are fun though, aren't they?

[Warph]

Ya wouldn't want me to do a quick lesson on apostrophes and simple plurals wouldja? No? I didn't think so.HA! Ostriches are fun though, aren't they?

Yeah... I blew that, Teach.  The Ostrich is quite a bird and fun to watch.  Here's some info:

Species: camelus
Subspecies:
    - camelus (North African)
    - molybdophanes (Somali)
    - massaicus (Masai)
    - australis (South African)
Height: males 6 to 9 feet and females 5 to 8 feet
Weight: males 230 to 400 pounds and females 200 to 300 pounds
Life span: 30 to 70 years
Egg: about 5 or 6 inches and about 3 pounds (that's about 24 chicken eggs)
Incubation: 42 days
In the wild multiple hens lay up to 25 eggs in the same nest.
Maturity at: 3 to 4 years

The ostrich is the largest and heaviest living bird. It cannot fly because it does not have a keeled sternum (breastbone), common to most birds. But an ostrich can run. Up to 45 mph. With this speed they can outrun many predators. They can also kick with much force. They kick forward. They have only two toes on each foot, but the big toe has a large claw. Their kick pack a lot of punch. Enough to kill a lion, and also us if we get in the way.

There are two varieties of wild ostrich, Red Neck and Blue Neck. The color of their necks and legs is where the names came from. The Red Neck is the largest. The South Africans developed a domestic strain almost 200 years ago. They developed it for better feathers and leather, and in the process, the bird became more docile and easier to handle. In the USA all three varieties are raised, along with crosses of all three. The 'African Black' (the variety developed in South Africa) is smaller. There is much discussion on which is better for farming. Docile is good for handling, but bigger birds have more meat. A cross of Blue Neck and African Black is a good bird. The discussion continues.

The males are black and white and the hens are gray brown. During courtship, the male get down on the ground, spreads his large wings, and rocks back and forth. As he rocks he bumps his head onto his body, on alternating sides. He is hoping the his chosen female will like his show and want to mate. Many times when you approach an ostrich pen, the male will do his displaying. This is most true when a woman approaches. He likes to show off to anyone that will look.

Ostriches do not make any vocal sounds. The most they can do is hiss. The male also 'booms'. This is also a mating thing. He inflates his neck to three times its normal size, and uses that air to make a sound like he is blowing a horn. This is a very low pitch and very loud sound, and can be heard for a great distance.

Ostrich feathers are different than most birds. Most birds have feathers that have hooks on the individual 'hairs'. This keeps the feather together as a solid unit, enabling them to fly. Ostrich feathers do not have these hooks so their feathers are very fluffy and light. They are used very effectively as dusters because they attract the dust.

Through the years, ostrich feathers have been used as accents in fashion. Women's hats was very popular. Ostrich farming started basically because of the use in fashion.

The leather from an ostrich is very unique. It has bumps on the leather every half inch. These are where the feathers were in the skin. Boots, jackets, hats, and purses are popular items made of ostrich leather. The fibers in the leather criss-cross making it one of the most durable leathers.

Ostriches are omnivores, and they eat whatever is available in their habitat and at different times of the year. They mostly eat plants, mainly grass, roots, leaves, and seeds, but they also munch on insects like locusts and small animals like lizards.

Ostriches are very effeciant eaters. Their nutrient usage is higher than most animals. This means that they use almost all of the nutrients in the food. The feed conversion ratio with ostriches is much better, saving money and resources. It takes 1.7 pounds of feed to produce one pound of ostrich meat

In the wild:
Ostriches like to live in groups, which helps with defense. With their long necks and keen vision, they can see long distances, so in a group at least one of them is likely to see danger coming. Ostriches sometimes gather in large groups of 100 or more, but most groups are smaller, usually about 10 birds, or just a male and female pair. The groups have a pecking order, with a dominant male that establishes and defends a territory, a dominant female called the 'main hen', and several other females. Lone males may also come and go during breeding season.

The dominant or 'alpha' hen mates with the territorial male, and they share the tasks of incubating the eggs and caring for the chicks. The other females may mate with that male or other wandering males, then lay their eggs in the same nest as the main hen's eggs.

The main hen puts her eggs in the center of the nest to make sure they have the best chance of hatching, but many of the other eggs may also be incubated. Usually the main hen takes incubation duty during the day, then the male takes over and incubates during the night. The nest is simply an indentation in the ground that the male has dug. It is about 4-6 feet in diameter and about a foot deep. The male lays his cheek on the sand of the nest to the temperature. If is is too hot he covers the eggs a little. If is it too cool, he exposes the eggs to the sun to warm them. A few days after the chicks hatch, they leave the nest to travel with their parents. The adults shelter them under their wings to protect them from sun and rain, and they defend the chicks against predators. --- American Ostrich Association

And Wilma.... this is Ozzie Ostrich... before: 




Ozzie would never smile so I gave him my upper plate.  He's a happy bird now... after:

[Diane Amberg]

The first time I ever saw a real ostrich egg I was amazed at how thick the shells are. No wonder they can be used for storing water and such.

[Wilma]

Probably the babies need those teeth to help them get through the shells.