The common ostrich Struthio camelus cover photo - 153968907

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The common ostrich Struthio camelus, or simply ostrich, is a species of large flightless bird native to Africa. It is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members of the genus Struthio in the ratite order of birds. The other is the Somali ostrich Struthio molybdophanes, which was recognised as a distinct species by BirdLife International in 2014 having been previously considered a very distinctive subspecies of ostrich. The common ostrich shares the order Struthioniformes with the kiwis, emus, rheas, and cassowaries. However, phylogenetic studies have shown that it is the sister group to all other members of Palaeognathae and thus the flighted tinamous are the sister group to the extinct moa.[4][5] It is distinctive in its appearance, with a long neck and legs, and can run for a long time at a speed of 55 km/h 34 mph or even up to about 70 km/h 43 mph, the fastest land speed of any bird. The common ostrich is the largest living species of bird and lays the largest eggs of any living bird extinct elephant birds of Madagascar and the giant moa of New Zealand laid larger eggs.

animal bird birds camelus common ostrich struisvogel struthio vogel wild wildlife