Bird watching is one of the main tourists activities done during a Safari in Uganda because this country is blessed with more 10,000 bird species that include the most sought Shoebill, Green-breasted Pitta, African Green Broadbill, Great Blue Turaco, Shelley’s Crimsonwing, Standard-winged Nightjar, Short-tailed Warbler, Doherty’s Bushshrike, Bar-tailed Trogon, Black-breasted Barbet and so many more others as you will find out when you visit any of these different national parks and reserve areas all around the country.
Ostriches are not listed on Uganda’s bird-list however; you can except to see a number of them today in Kidepo Valley National Park.
About Ostriches (Struthio camelus)
Ostriches are also called the Struthio camelus, they are the largest birds in the world weighing about 180 kg which is why they don’t fly. They have long necks and legs thus the reason they are the fastest birds capable of running at a speed of 64km/h when threatened.
The female ones have a brownish- gray color and the males are usually black with their wings white as well as tail feathers. They are strong that it can kill or harm a human and its predator like a lion by just kicking. They are omnivores therefore feed on things like the locusts, seeds, flowers, shrubs, fruits as well as fruits and to help grind their food, they swallow sand or pebbles.
One fact about ostriches is that they enjoy dust bathing that is why they often bury their heads into sand leaving the other body parts outside but it is also to protect their heads from the sun.
Where in Uganda are the Common Ostriches found
These birds are endemic to Africa; they are commonly seen in the savannah areas. In Uganda, they are found in Kidepo valley national park located in the northeastern corner of Uganda. There are two types of the common ostrich namely the nominate and massaicus ostriches which are more common than the former.
How Ostriches Mate, Lay Eggs and Incubate them
During that time of mating, Ostriches stay out sight and they have a difficult breeding system in a sense that the major as well as the minor Ostriches can easily lay their eggs in a single nest. Usually in one nest there is a major and about 5 to 6 minor birds which can lay about 25 eggs. They incubate in turns, the major hen goes in during day time and the Cock incubates in the night.
After about 6 weeks, the chicks hatch and in 4 days, they are ready to leave the nest to join the other chicks to form what is called the crèches composed of over 100 little birds.
Also, they make different sounds like roars and booms as well as hissing. The male ones do the booming call a lot and sometimes it sounds like it’s a lion roaring from over 1 km away.
So when you are visiting Kidepo valley national park and hear the roaring, it may be the ostrich and not a lion.
Common Features of the Common Ostrich
Both sexes are usually about 2.5 meters tall.
Adult males have brown eyes, white wings, a tail that is most of the times dirty with soil and black body feathers.
They have pink necks as well as their legs and the legs get brighter during the breeding period.
If it’s a nominate grown up female, it will mainly be brown but the massaicus one will be grayish-brown in color. However both types have dull pinkish-brown sometimes brown legs.
Their little ones have both the heads and necks black, the backs are spotted but naked buff.
At 3 or 4 years, an ostrich is fully grown.
Where and how they live
The massaicus ostriches either live as singles if not they form very small groups and care for each other as a family.
If they are in a drier environment or in wooded grassland kind of vegetation, they may be seen in really huge flocks.
In this case therefore, enthusiastic bird watchers interested in seeing these ostriches should include Kidepo valley national park to their itinerary since it is has a very huge number of bird species. Also the locals that can access the northern Uganda region or Kidepo Park in particular can get the opportunity to watch these charming birds. During your Safari in Uganda Watch out not to get close to where its eggs are because they will see you a threat and will definitely chase you at a very terrifying speed and it hurts you.
