I Wish I Could Fly!

When thinking of the wildlife of South America, the first thing to come to mind is always the ostrich. . . right?

Okay, maybe not. Yet I’ve been to two ostrich farms while in Colombia. Ostriches (avestruces) are native to Africa but, apparently, are farmed around the world for their feathers and their meat. While in the small town of Villa de Leyva, I saw signs for an Ostrich Farm and had to go. . .it was so random, I couldn’t miss it. And I’m glad I went because I learned a lot about these impressive birds!

First, they lay the largest eggs of any living animal. They are about 6 inches long and weigh about 3 pounds! Ironically, however, these eggs are the smallest eggs relative to the size of the adult. For those trivia buffs. . .

Second, ostriches are the fastest two-legged animal – they can run at maximum speeds of 43 miles (70km) per hour. (Considering these birds live in Kenya, this shouldn’t be surprising!)

Third, they don’t bury their head in the sand. This is a myth. When frightened, they lay flat on the ground and appear, from a distance, to be a mound of dirt. But when cornered, they attack using their long, powerful legs. After seeing their claws up close and personal, this doesn’t look like fun!

Finally, they can’t fly. So sad to be a bird and not be able to use those huge wings. But I guess if I could run over 40mph, I wouldn’t mind!

So, after holding an egg and watching a movie about ostriches and learning about their lifestyle and habits (quite a test for my Spanish skills!), we went into the fields and got to see these animals up close and personal!

We even had the option to feed them. They don’t really have teeth, but those beaks can snap shut so quickly, it can really pinch! And they’re quite determined to get every last little bit of food. . .

I had a great afternoon with these amazing birds. . . and before I left, this little lady even gave me a curtsey.

 
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