Do ostriches really bury their heads in the sand?

No. How can ostriches live if they bury their heads in the sand! This is just a myth.

Why did the myth arise?

This myth may have arisen from ostrich behaviours.

Ostriches are the largest and heaviest birds in the world. Despite being seven to nine feet tall and weighing 350 pounds, these birds have small heads. When they bring their heads close to the ground to eat grass, especially from a distance so they can be easily seen as if they were burying their heads in the sand.

Ostriches do not build nests for their eggs. Instead, they dig holes in the sand to keep their eggs. While the eggs are incubating, to ensure that the eggs are equally warm, male and female ostriches occasionally stick their heads in the nest to rotate the eggs, thus creating the illusion that they are burying their heads in the sand.

Similarly, ostriches will lie on the ground when threatened. Only their large bodies are visible from a distance, so some think the rest may have been buried.

How do ostriches escape from predators?

Ostriches are big, fierce and not afraid to take a stand against predators. When they feel the danger, their first response is to remove themselves from the situation with a quick clip.

An ostrich can run up to 40 miles per hour on its long, powerful legs. Instead of using their wings for flight, they are used as "air rudders" which helps them run—allowing them to zigzag, brake and turn quickly as they sprint away.

They can stand up against attackers. Ostriches can kick with a force of 140 kilograms per square centimetre - which is capable of killing a lion with a single blow.

Similar…