Is an Ostrich a Mammal? Understanding the True Classification of Ostriches in One Article

Ostriches are native to Africa and are the largest extant herbivorous birds in the world. They cannot fly, but they are good at running. So, is an ostrich a mammal? What do they mainly eat?

1. Is an ostrich a mammal?

An ostrich is not a mammal but a bird. It has the characteristics of birds: a beak, feathers, wings, and egg-laying. Only mammals give birth to live young. The ostrich, also called the African ostrich, belongs to the order Struthioniformes among the ratites, and is the largest extant bird in the world.

2. What do ostriches eat?

Ostriches get their nutrition from a wide range of sources. Their main foods are grass, leaves, seeds, tender twigs, succulent plants, tree roots, flowers with stems, and fruits, among others. They also eat small animals such as lizards, snakes, young birds, small mammals, and some insects, making them omnivorous. Ostriches raised in captivity in parks are fed compound feed. When eating, ostriches always intentionally swallow some sand grains, because ostriches have poor digestion, and eating some sand grains helps grind the food and promote digestion without harming the spleen and stomach.

3. A brief introduction to ostriches

1. South Africa was the first country to domesticate ostriches, with a history of more than 150 years. The initial purpose of domestication was the demand for their feathers (decorations). Later, with the use and development of ostrich meat, eggs, and leather, ostrich farming gradually spread to other countries, and ostriches became an important part of the world's specialty economic animals.

2. Ostrich farming is a new industry in China. In 1988, Guangdong Province was the first to introduce the African black ostrich bred in South Africa, and trial farming was successful. In 2003, it was approved by the State Forestry Administration as one of the first batch of terrestrial wild animals that can be commercially operated, utilized, domesticated, and bred.