Somali Ostrich

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A slightly smaller ratite than the Common Ostrich with distinctive blue-grey neck and thigh skin in breeding males. Flightless and capable of speeds up to 70 km/h. Native to the Horn of Africa—Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya—in arid scrublands. Males display vivid bare-skin coloration during the breeding season.

Physical Description

Measurement	Value	Imperial
Envergadura	102,1 cm	40.2 in
Peso	107875,0 g	3805.18 oz

Identificación

Plumaje

Males have black body feathers with white wing plumes and tail; neck and thighs bare, blue-grey skin. Females are dull grayish-brown. Chicks cryptically streaked.

Habitat & Range

Arid and semi-arid scrublands, open savanna, and thornbush in the Horn of Africa. Prefers flat or gently undulating terrain with sparse vegetation. Avoids dense forest and permanently waterlogged ground.

🌾 Pastizal

Distribución geográfica

Restricted to the Horn of Africa—Somalia, eastern Ethiopia, northern Kenya. Non-migratory; sedentary year-round in arid scrublands.

Diet & Feeding

Omnivorous grazer; pecks roots, seeds, succulents, and insects across semi-arid Horn of Africa scrublands. Swallows pebbles for digestion.

Estado de conservación

Vulnerable

IUCN Red List

Comportamiento y reproducción

Nidificación

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 42-46 days. Fledging: 120-150 days.

Tamaño de la puesta

5-11

Sonido

Canto

Similar to Common Ostrich: a deep, resonant booming roar from males during breeding, though less studied. Also gives hissing sounds. Vocalizations relatively undocumented in detail.

Taxonomía

Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata
Class	Aves
Orden	Struthioniformes (Avestruces)
Familia	Struthionidae (Avestruces)
Genus	Struthio
Especies	Struthio molybdophanes

Distribution

Somali Ostrich has been recorded in 1 countries.

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Presente Not recorded

countries highlighted

🇳🇴 Noruega

External Databases

Preguntas frecuentes

What does the Somali Ostrich eat?

Omnivorous grazer; pecks roots, seeds, succulents, and insects across semi-arid Horn of Africa scrublands. Swallows pebbles for digestion.

Where does the Somali Ostrich live?

Arid and semi-arid scrublands, open savanna, and thornbush in the Horn of Africa. Prefers flat or gently undulating terrain with sparse vegetation. Avoids dense forest and permanently waterlogged ground.

Is the Somali Ostrich endangered?

The Somali Ostrich has a conservation status of Vulnerable.

How does the Somali Ostrich nest?

Nest type: SC. Incubation: 42-46 days. Fledging: 120-150 days.

What does the Somali Ostrich sound like?

Similar to Common Ostrich: a deep, resonant booming roar from males during breeding, though less studied. Also gives hissing sounds. Vocalizations relatively undocumented in detail.

How big is the Somali Ostrich?

The Somali Ostrich has a wingspan of 102.1 cm, weight of 107875.0 g.

What order and family does the Somali Ostrich belong to?

The Somali Ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes) belongs to the order Struthioniformes and the family Struthionidae.