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Animal Kingdom Animals > Ostrich > Flashcards

Ostrich Flashcards

1
Q

What is the largest bird in the world?

A

The ostrich.

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2
Q

True or false, scientists are sure that the ostrich is one species.

A

False. It may be two species.

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3
Q

What do some biologists consider to be a separate species from the ostrich?

A

The Somali ostrich.

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4
Q

How fast can an ostrich run?

A

43 mph

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5
Q

What do ostriches eat?

A

Mostly plant matter, but also some invertebrates.

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6
Q

How will ostriches defend themselves if cornered?

A

They kick their foe.

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7
Q

How many females does each male ostrich generally mate with?

A

2 - 7

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8
Q

What are ostrich feathers most often used for?

A

Feather dusters.

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9
Q

What is ostrich skin sometimes used to make?

A

Leather.

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10
Q

How much do ostriches weigh?

A

Between 140 and 350 pounds.

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11
Q

At what age do ostriches reach sexual maturity?

A

2 to 4

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12
Q

How tall do ostriches get?

A

Male: 7 to 9 feet
Female: 5 1/2 to 6 1/2

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13
Q

How many inches do young ostriches grow per month?

A

10 inches

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14
Q

How much do ostriches weigh at one year of age?

A

100 pounds

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15
Q

How long do ostriches live?

A

40 - 60 years

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16
Q

What animal has the largest eyes of any land vertebrate?

A

The ostrich.

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17
Q

What are some adaptions of the ostrich?

A

Long neck and large eyes to spot predators.
Special ridge above their eye that protects them from sunlight.
Two large toes that assist in running.
Downy, insulant feathers to allow them to adjust to many temperatures.

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18
Q

How many toes do ostriches have? How many do most birds have?

A

Two toes for ostriches, four for most birds.

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19
Q

How many feet can an ostrich cover in a single stride?

A

10 - 16

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20
Q

What is the wingspan of the ostrich?

A

6.5 feet

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21
Q

What do ostriches use their wings for?

A

Shading chicks and mating displays.

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22
Q

Why are ostrich feathers so fluffy and spaced apart?

A

They lack the tiny hooks that other birds have.

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23
Q

What do ostriches do when it’s hot? When it’s cold?

A

They will tuck their head and legs into their feathers when it is cold. They will take their head and legs out when it is hot.

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24
Q

What species that the ostrich is related to was the largest bird ever?

A

The elephant bird.

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25
Q

What are the two primary differences between the common ostrich and the Somali ostrich?

A

The Somali ostrich lives alone or in pairs. The Somali ostrich feeds on low bushes and trees.

26
Q

How many stomachs do ostriches have?

A

Three.

27
Q

What country has ancient pottery depicting ostriches or ostrich-like birds, suggesting that ostriches may have existed in Asia around the last ice age?

A

China.

28
Q

What is the range and habitat of the ostrich?

A

Northern, southern, and some of central Africa in savannas.

29
Q

What country has feral ostriches?

A

Australia.

30
Q

Where did a species of ostrich live until the early 20th century when it went extinct?

A

The middle east. (Arabian ostrich)

31
Q

What percentage of ostrich sightings were of more than two birds?

A

16%

32
Q

Are ostriches social animals?

A

Only during the breeding season or dry spells. They can be in groups of up to 100.

33
Q

True or false, ostriches often travel with grazing mammals.

A

True.

34
Q

When are ostriches active?

A

They are diurnal, but may be active on moonlit nights.

35
Q

What do ostriches do to defend themselves from a distance?

A

They will lie down and attempt to look like a mound of earth.

36
Q

Who was the Roman philosopher that brought about the mistaken belief that ostriches bury their heads in the sand?

A

Pliny the Elder.

37
Q

What is a gastrolith?

A

A rock that is swallowed to help grind food.

38
Q

True or false, ostriches do no have a crop.

A

True.

39
Q

What is metabolic water?

A

Water that is created within the body by oxidizing energy-containing substances within their food.

40
Q

How do ostriches go so long without water?

A

They absorb water from the plants they eat and create large amounts of metabolic water.

41
Q

What percentage of human hydration is metabolic water?

A

8 - 10%

42
Q

True or false, though the male ostrich may mate with several females per season, he will only form a pair bond with one.

A

True.

43
Q

How do male ostriches court the female?

A

He will dance for her and then symbolically mime building a nest in the sand.

44
Q

True or false, birds raised in captivity know not to project their mating displays toward humans.

A

False.

45
Q

How wide can ostrich nests get?

A

10 feet.

46
Q

What percentage of ostriches reach 1 year old?

A

15%

47
Q

How large are ostrich eggs?

A

6 inches long and wide and weigh 3 pounds (20 times the size of a chicken egg)

48
Q

Why do male ostriches incubate the eggs at night?

A

The black coloring of the male hides him better against the night.

49
Q

What are some predators of the ostrich?

A

Hyenas, lions, cheetahs, leopards, and African wild dogs. Young can be taken by jackals and eagles.

50
Q

True or false, ostriches are very strong and can even kill lions when defending chicks.

A

True.

51
Q

How do ostriches lure predators away from the nest?

A

They feign injury.

52
Q

How many times larger are the red blood cells of an ostrich?

A

Three times. (It makes up for the low red blood cell count)

53
Q

What is a xerocole?

A

An animal that lives in the desert or savanna.

54
Q

How do ostriches clean themselves of parasites?

A

They take dust baths.

55
Q

What is the conservation status of the ostrich?

A

It is of least concern, but the populations have reduced drastically over the years. One subspecies is treated as critically endangered.

56
Q

How do native people of Africa use ostrich eggs?

A

They use them as water containers.

57
Q

How many eggs does the female ostrich usually keep?

A

20

58
Q

True or false, ostriches are so good at adapting to climates that they can be farmed in Alaska.

A

True.

59
Q

What kind of sport will human use ostriches for?

A

Racing. They are ridden the same way as horses with reins and saddles.

60
Q

What animal produces the strongest commercial leather?

A

The ostrich.

61
Q

What does ostrich meat taste like?

A

Beef.

Animal Kingdom Animals (26 decks)

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