The Ostrich’s scientific name is derived from the Latin word, struthio, which means Ostrich, and camelus, which means camel. This basically refers to the typical dry habitat associated with the ostrich. The Ostrich, ‘Struthio camelus’, is a huge bird that does not fly, which originated from the African continent. It is the sole surviving species of the family ‘Struthionidae’ and the type ‘Struthio’. They share the category ‘Struthioniformes’ with Emus, and other ratites. The other members of this category are rheas, cassowaries, and the largest bird known to have ever existed, the ‘Elephant Bird’, which is extinct.

However, the categorization of the ratites as from the same type has for a long time been controversial, particularly among scholars and scientists, with some cases of a substitute categorization putting the Struthioniformes to the Ostrich type of birds only.

The ostrich is characteristically distinct in physical appearance, with its elongated neckline and legs that can run at a speed of up to 72 kilometers an hour. This is the fastest known speed of any bird on land. Today, the Ostrich is the largest known species of bird, and it produces the largest egg.

The diet of an Ostrich is mostly comprised of plant matter, although it is also known to eat some insects. It lives in groups containing between five and fifty birds, and it practices a nomadic lifestyle. When under threat, the Ostrich can either hide by lying flat on the ground, or it can run away. If not, it is able to attack with a kick from its powerful legs. The Ostrich is quite a popular farm bird around the world, and it is particularly liked for its fluff, which is popular for decorative purposes, and also preferred for making feather rags. Ostrich’s skin is sought after for production of leather, and ostrich meat is commercially sold.

Adult male ostrich feathers are typically black, with whitish traces and a whitish tail. For the female ostriches and young males, they are colored grayish-brown with white traces. The head and neck of both male and female Ostriches is almost bare, and the females’ neck’s skin and thighs are reddish gray. The male's neck is usually blue or gray depending on the subspecies.

The extended neckline and legs of the ostrich keeps its head from a distance of between one to three meters off the ground, and their eyes are said to be the largest of any known land vertebrate. Therefore, they are capable of citing predators at a fairly great distance. Ostriches become sexually mature from age two up to four years. The females usually become adults roughly six months before the males. The mating process of ostriches is different, depending on the geographical region. Males, which are typically territorial, hiss and produce other sounds to woo and win over from two to seven hens. The successful male is subsequently allowed to breed with all the females in a group, but he will only form a lasting pair with the leading female.