In the African savanna, a strange bird can sometimes be seen among the herds of large mammals. It has long, powerful legs but its wings are too tiny to allow it to fly. It runs when in dangered. The bird is the ostrich. It rins on its toes and is the only bird that has two toes on each foot. Ostriches run faster than any animal, with exception of the cheetah.

Oddly enough, the habits of the popular ostrich are not well-known. Despite its size-it can stand as tall as 8 feet-and strength, it does not let people get too close because it doesn't trust them. Ostriches' diet consists mainly of plants, including roots, and a lot of seeds. They will also eat insects such as grasshoppers and crickets. Like many birds, they swallow stones to help brak up food in their gizzards.

At mating time, the males fight for the females. Fighting is usually an aggressive show with the males pecking, kicking, and hissing. Females share nests: 2 to 5 females will all lay their eggs in 1 nest. The nest can hold up to 60 eggs! The huge eggs weigh more than 3 pounds each and can resist the weight of the 240-pound male ostrich, who sits on them most of the time.

Hunted for its beautiful feathers. The ostrich almost totally disappeared. One type, the Arabian ostrich, became extinct. Strict rules were necessary to save the African ostriches from extinction.