Ostrich
Part of Hall of African Mammals.
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Part of Hall of African Mammals.
As the world's largest bird (ostriches can stand up to 8 feet tall and weigh 340 pounds), the ostrich is also one of the most adaptable. The ostrich lives in a variety of environments in southwest Africa and has developed a complex social structure while having shed the ability to fly.
An ostrich will attack only if threatened, and then it can kick hard enough to kill a lion. To lure intruders from a nest, a male ostrich will perform a "distraction display" while the well-camouflaged chicks run for cover.