Ostrich Reproduction

Ostriches form bisexual groups with a complex structure. Territorial males compete for flocks of 3 to 5 hens. Mating includes elaborate displays of hisses and dancing.

Once divided into mating groups, ostriches in some areas use communal nests to hold anywhere from 14 to 60 eggs. The nest is a hole scraped in bare ground about 1 to 2 feet deep. The average egg is 6 inches in length, 5 inches in width, weighs about 3 pounds, and is shiny and whitish in color. Eggs take approximately 35 - 40 days to hatch.