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  3. Somali Ostrich

One of the 2 ostriches on WAnimals

Somali Ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes)

Birds · Struthioniformes · Struthionidae

Somali Ostrich

Struthio molybdophanes

Vulnerable

At high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term.

Spotted something wrong?

The Somali ostrich is a struthioniform bird of the family Struthionidae that was regarded as a subspecies of the common ostrich until studies emphasised the differences between the various subspecies, with S. c. molybdophanes raised to a species of its own by BirdLife International. Others have since followed, among them Clements, the IOC and Zoonomen.

Weight

90 kg – 130 kg

Size

2 m – 2.5 m

Life expectancy

40 years

Diet

Omnivore

Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

SavannaDesertGrassland
5countries6parks1same family

AI-generated images: illustrations, not photographs.

Fun facts

  • It was separated from the common ostrich as a species of its own only in 2014: the colour of the neck, blue-grey rather than pink, along with genetic and habitat differences, justified the split.
  • Unlike the common ostrich, which prefers open savannah, this one browses among dense thorn scrub and is far less gregarious.

Life cycle and biology

Skeleton type
Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat and environment
Semi-arid thorn scrub and shrubby savannah of the Horn of Africa
Sexual maturity
4 years
Gestation / incubation
45 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size
10 eggs

Sources consulted: Wikipedia (es): Struthio molybdophanes

Where to find it

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The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.

Where to see it

Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.

Related species

Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Somali Ostrich — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.

Shares a park
Shares a park
Same taxonomic family
Shares a park
Shares a park
Shares a park

How to help

The somali ostrich is classified as vulnerable. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.

It's documented in 5 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.

Related guides

Keep exploring

Based on what we already know about somali ostrich.

Share an experience, a fun fact or a tip for seeing the somali ostrich.
See full glossary
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See its range on the interactive map→
TsavoKenya
Lag Badana National ParkSomalia
SamburuKenya
Kidepo ValleyUganda
MeruKenya
AwashEthiopia
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Where to see Somali Ostrich6 places
CountriesKenya
ParksTsavoKenya
TagsOmnivore
Omnivore
Diurnal
Vulnerable
Bird
Savanna
Desert
Grassland
Kenya
Ethiopia
Somalia
Djibouti
Eritrea