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How does an ostrich run faster than a horse — and why does it have such big eyes?

Imagine a bird that is taller than an adult dad — 2 meters 70 centimeters. That weighs as much as three people combined — 150 kilograms. And that runs faster than a horse — 70 kilometers per hour! This is the ostrich, the largest bird on our planet.

But there is a problem: the ostrich cannot fly. Its wings are too small for such a heavy body. But nature has given it lightning-fast legs. One step of an ostrich is 5 meters. That is the length of a car! And it runs so fast that you wouldn't be able to catch up with it on a bicycle.

The ostrich has only two toes on its feet, like two powerful hooves. A blow from such a paw can break the ribs of a lion. That is why even the kings of beasts avoid the ostrich.

And you know what's most amazing? An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain! Each eye is the size of a tennis ball — they are the largest eyes of any land animal. Thanks to them, an ostrich can see an enemy 4 kilometers away. And its brain is small — so the ostrich is not very smart, but very fast.

The ostrich egg is the largest in the world. It weighs 1.5 kilograms. Imagine: one such egg is as heavy as 25 chicken eggs! The shell is so strong that a grown man can stand on the egg and it will not crack.

Is it true that an ostrich buries its head in the sand out of fear? No, it's not true! It simply lowers its head to the ground to better hear its enemy or to turn its eggs in the nest. An ostrich is not a coward. It is a proud desert runner.