Somali Ostrich

     The Somali Ostrich is one of the 4 species of Ostriches that is endemic to the Horn of Africa. Though generally similar to other ostriches, the skin of the neck and thighs of the Somali ostrich is grey-blue, becoming bright blue on the male during the mating season. Also males of this species lacks the typical white ring of feathers around their necks. 

     The Somali ostrich males have loose, soft and smooth feathers which is black with white primaries and tail in males. While females are slightly larger than males, and browner in plumage than the females of the other ostrich species. The Somali ostrich resembles the Southern Ostrich in appearance, but differs mainly in having more visible feathers on the top of its head. Also, it’s differentiated ecologically from other species, with which there is some range overlap, by preferring bushier, and more thickly vegetated areas. Where it feeds largely by browsing, whereas the latter species are mainly grazers on open savanna.

    As other ostrich species, the top hen lay her creamy white eggs first then other females put their eggs in her nest. After that she discards the extra eggs from the nest and gives hers the priority. In most cases the nest doesn’t contain more than 20 eggs although every hen can lay 7 – 10 eggs. The male Somali ostrich usually incubates eggs during the night shift and the female does the incubation during the day shift. The chicks hatch almost after 35 – 45 days and are reared by both males and females. They reach the size of their parents almost after 6 months and reach sexual maturity between 2 – 4 years.