Chook Me!

How do Ostriches raise their chicks with success?

I was asking as it is a large flightless bird, that has tiny chicks. And there are hundreds of predators which include Mammals, Snakes and Birds.

Public Comments

1. In the wild, the male ostrich is a good father and very defensive of his chicks. At the approach of an enemy, he causes a distraction by fleeing from the nest, pretending to be hurt. With limp wings he slides to the ground, seeming to collapse. He repeats the performance until satisfied he has led the intruder far enough away and then miraculously recovers and runs away at speed. The female also tries diversionary tactics but if it all fails, the male attacks furiously, lashing out with his deadly kicks. http://www.viva.org.uk/campaigns/exoticmeat/ostrichreport.htm Ostrich chicks hatch from their eggs fully feathered. Within a few days, they will leave their nest and follow their parents around. Both parents take an interest in them from the start. They will defend the hatchlings from predators, shelter them under their wings, and teach them what to eat. http://www.marylandzoo.org/meet/meet-animals.aspx?AnimalID=25