The Somali Ostrich is a large flightless bird of the Horn of Africa and, until recently, was treated as a subspecies of the Common Ostrich. Genetic and physical differences, most obviously the blue-grey rather than pinkish skin of the neck and thighs, led to it being recognized as a full species. Like all ostriches it is the classic bird of open country, standing taller than a person and running faster than any other bird.
Males are boldly black and white while females and young are drab greyish brown, a pattern that helps camouflage them on the nest and in dry scrub. The species is well adapted to hot, arid landscapes, able to go long periods without drinking by obtaining moisture from its food.
The key feature separating this from the Common Ostrich is the color of the bare skin: the Somali Ostrich has a distinctly blue-grey neck and thighs, brightening to a stronger blue on the male's neck in the breeding season. Combined with its range in the Horn of Africa, this makes for a clear identification.
| Neck and thighs | Bare skin blue-grey, becoming vivid blue on breeding males (not pink) |
| Size | Very large, standing roughly 2 to 2.4 m tall; the largest living bird |
| Male plumage | Black body with white wing and tail plumes |
| Female plumage | Greyish brown overall, plainer and better camouflaged |
| Legs and feet | Long, powerful legs with two toes, built for fast running |
| Neck | Long and, in males, lacking the whitish ring shown by some Common Ostriches |
Ostriches are not songbirds, but breeding males produce a deep, resonant booming call, a low three-note hoot that carries across the plains and can be mistaken at a distance for a lion. Both sexes also give hisses, snorts and guttural sounds when alarmed or in disputes.
The Somali Ostrich is confined to the Horn of Africa, occurring in Somalia, eastern Ethiopia, Djibouti and northern and eastern Kenya. It favors dry bushland, thorn scrub, semi-desert and open savanna, generally in areas with denser bush than those used by the Common Ostrich, and it is largely sedentary within its arid range.
It is chiefly a plant eater, feeding on grasses, leaves, shoots, seeds, flowers and succulent vegetation, and it supplements this with insects and other small invertebrates. Like other ostriches it swallows grit and small stones to help grind food in its gizzard, and it can survive long periods on the moisture contained in its plant food.
The Somali Ostrich has a communal nesting system in which a dominant male scrapes a shallow nest in the ground and several females lay their eggs in it. The dominant female and the male share incubation, the female by day and the male by night. Chicks are well developed at hatching and can run within a short time, following the adults and often gathering into large creches guarded by adult birds.
- Common Ostrich: Very similar in size and shape but has pinkish rather than blue-grey neck and thigh skin, and a wider African range
- Greater Rhea: A large flightless ratite of South America, smaller and greyer, filling a similar niche on open grassland
- Emu: Australia's large flightless bird, shaggy brown and long-necked but lacking the ostrich's bold black-and-white plumage
How is the Somali Ostrich different from the Common Ostrich?
The clearest difference is the color of the bare skin. The Somali Ostrich has blue-grey neck and thighs, while the Common Ostrich has pinkish skin. The two also differ genetically and were split into separate species.
Is the Somali Ostrich endangered?
It is listed as Vulnerable. Its population is declining because of hunting for meat, eggs and feathers, egg collecting and habitat loss across the Horn of Africa.
Can the Somali Ostrich fly?
No. Like all ostriches it is flightless, but it is a very fast runner and uses its long legs both to escape predators and to deliver powerful kicks in defense.
Where does the Somali Ostrich live?
It is restricted to the Horn of Africa, including Somalia, eastern Ethiopia, Djibouti and northern and eastern Kenya, in dry bushland and semi-desert.