Struthio camelus
Silhouette: Matt Martyniuk (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
In 3 days >90%
The common ostrich (Struthio camelus), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain areas of Africa (and historically, Arabia) and is the largest living species of bird. The common ostrich is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members of the genus Struthio in the ratite group of birds. The other is the Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes), which has been recognised as a distinct species by BirdLife International since 2014, having been previously considered a distinctive subspecies of ostrich.
The common ostrich belongs to the order Struthioniformes. Struthioniformes previously contained all the ratites, such as the kiwis, emus, rheas, and cassowaries. However, a recent genetic analysis has found that the group is not monophyletic, as it is paraphyletic with respect to the tinamous, so the ostriches are now classified as the only members of the order. Phylogenetic studies have shown that it is the sister group to all other members of Palaeognathae, and that the flighted tinamous are the sister group to the extinct moa. It is distinctive in its appearance, with a long neck and legs, and can run for a long time at a speed of 55 km/h (34 mph) with short bursts up to about 70 km/h (43 mph), the fastest land speed of any bipedal animal. It lays the largest eggs of any living bird, though the extinct giant elephant bird (Aepyornis maximus) of Madagascar and the South Island giant moa (Dinornis robustus) of New Zealand both laid larger eggs.
The common ostrich's diet consists mainly of plant matter, though it also eats invertebrates and small reptiles. It lives in nomadic groups of 5 to 50 birds. When threatened, the ostrich will either hide itself by lying flat against the ground or run away. If cornered, it can attack with a kick of its powerful legs. Mating patterns differ by geographical region, but territorial males fight for a harem of two to seven females.
The common ostrich is farmed around the world, particularly for its feathers, which are decorative and are also used as feather dusters. Its skin is used for leather products and its meat is sold commercially, with its leanness a common marketing point. Wikipedia →
No species of the same family or order lives in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other birds.
Very likely
About 70% of wildlife watchers report a Common Ostrich sighting in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park on a given day, based on 463 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 4th most-seen of the 122 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June, September and November
In those months about 80% of wildlife watchers report a Common Ostrich in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park on a given day, against about 60% in March, July and October, the lowest months. Those are among Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park's driest months, with almost no rain against 40 mm in January. May has too few records to rate.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Common Ostrich sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 27 parks where we can rate Common Ostrich sightings, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park ranks 2nd at about 70%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in De Hoop Nature Reserve (South Africa, about 70%). All parks ranked.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Common Ostrich is recorded against all the birds logged in Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park (463 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
