- Struthio camelus
Identification
Common Ostrich Struthio camelus Range Widespread across sub-Saharan Africa from Mauritania to Sudan and north-east Ethiopia, south to Tanzania and in southern Africa in southern Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and northern South Africa. Replaced in Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya south to Tsavo East NP by Somali Ostrich. Formerly widespread in northern Africa but now rare or an occasional visitor to southern Morocco and northern parts of Mali, Niger and Chad. Recently recorded in southern Egypt and may breed in small numbers. Now extinct in the Middle East and not reliably recorded since the 1940s although there is an unconfirmed report from Jordan in 1966. Reintroduction attempts are underway in the Negev Desert of southern Israel. A small population of race australis may persist in south-central Australia, descendants of birds imported for the plume trade. Resident and often nomadic, particularly in arid areas. Habitat Semi-desert, arid short-grass plains and open wooded savanna. An easily seen bird in sub-Saharan Africa, conspicuous and common in many national parks and often associated with wild ungulates and sociable outside the breeding season, sometimes gathering into groups of more than 100. Identification Unmistakable; the world�s largest bird with males weighing up to 136kg. Long bare neck and legs flesh-pink becoming brighter during the breeding season. Male is brownish black with white neck collar, wings and tail, female and immature greyish-brown. Height 200 � 240cm, female shorter. Voice Mainly silent but makes occasional hissing sounds and male has a deep booming during the breeding season. Subspecies Nominate race is found in north of range from Mauritania to Sudan and northern Uganda, replaced in East Africa by massaicus (pinkish-grey neck, flushing bright red during the breeding season and narrower white neck ring). Southern African range is occupied by australis but pure wild birds are perhaps confined to Namibia and Botswana (neck is greyish, flushing red in breeding male and lacks white collar, tail brown). North-west African birds are sometimes separated as spatzi and Middle Eastern birds belonged to syriacus. Sites include: BOTSWANA (autralis) Chobe NP, Makgadikgadi Pans GR, Moremi Wildlife Reserve, Nxai Pan NP, Okavango Delta. CAMEROON (camelus) Waza NP. CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (camelus) Manovo-Gounda-Saint Floris NP. KENYA (massaicus) Amboseli NP, Lake Naivasha, Masai Mara GR, Nairobi NP, Samburu-Isiolo GR, Tsavo West NP. NAMIBIA (autralis) Etosha NP, Fish River Canyon Park, Hardap Dam, Namib-Naukluft NP. NIGER (camelus) Air et Tenere NP. SOUTH AFRICA (australis) Barberspan NR, Ermelo Game Park, Kalahari Gemsbok NP, Kruger NP, Umfolozi GR. SUDAN (camelus) Dinder NP. TANZANIA (massaicus) Lake Mayara NP, Lake Mcilwaine, Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, Ruaha NP, Serengeti NP, Tarangire NP. UGANDA (massaicus) Debasien Animal Sanctuary, Kidepo Valley NP. ZIMBABWE (australis) Hwangie NP.
