Ostriches: the largest flightless bird in the wild

Ostriches are the largest living birds. Ostrich has feathers like other birds, lay eggs and have beaks instead of teeth. Ostriches cannot fly. Instead, they run up to 70 km per hour. Ostriches are native to Africa, especially in savannas, open woodlands and semi-deserts. Ostriches play a major role in Africa's biodiversity. By eating fruits and plants, ostriches sprayed seeds across large distances, helping plant regeneration. Also, ostriches helps in nutrient cycling. Ostriches' droppings enrich the soil with nutrients, boosting vegetation growth. Ostriches is a major food source of other animals and humans. Ostriches' eggs and meats were human delicacies around the world. Other countries farmed ostriches for their feathers, leathers and eggshells as sustainable products. Lions, cheetahs and hyenas rely on ostriches as food. Ostrich eggs and chicks are eaten by jackals, warthogs, mongooses and birds of prey. Ostriches is also a source of food by the carrion feeders. If an ostrich dies, scavengers like vultures and hyenas consume the carcasses and recycling nutrients into the ecosystem. For animals, ostriches are an important part of the African food chain, feeding both predators and scavengers. Ostriches have other uses such as, the ostrich oil is used in cosmetics. One ostrich egg is equivalent to 24 chicken eggs. In conclusion, ostriches are definitely birds, just flightless. They belong to a special group called ratites.