Are the heads of ostriches actually buried in the sand?
Are the heads of ostriches actually buried in the sand?
About 2,000 years ago, the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder is credited with coining the theory that ostriches bury their heads when they feel threatened. Is it true, though? gambar
"Bury your head in the sand" is an idiom that means to avoid or ignore a difficult situation. (Image credit: Martin Harvey/Getty Images)
For generations, people have said that ostriches (Struthio species) hide by sticking their heads in the sand when they are in danger. This striking picture gave rise to the well-known expression "bury your head in the sand" to characterize a refusal to confront one's issues head-on. According to ABC research, the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder, also known as Gaius Plinius Secundus, who finished one of the first encyclopedia collections, may have developed this notion regarding ostriches. In "The Natural History," Book 10, he tells the account of an ostrich that hides its head in the bushes to make itself inconspicuous. According to one translation of the text, he composed, "They have the wonderful quality of being able to digest every substance without distinction, but their stupidity is no less remarkable; for although the rest of their body is so large, they imagine, when they have thrust their head and neck into a bush, that the whole of the body is concealed." However, are ostriches actually head-buried? Although they don't, they can appear to do so at times.
Ostriches are native to Africa and can be found in a range of environments, such as deserts, savannas, and grasslands. According to the San Diego Zoo, they are the largest birds in the world, reaching up to 287 pounds (130 kilograms) in weight and reaching a height of 9 feet (2.7 meters). They do, however, show several behaviors that, from a distance, can give the impression that they are burying their heads, and their heads are really small.
Ostriches lay their eggs in shallow holes dug in the sand or mud, as opposed to nest-building birds. To keep the eggs warm, both parents rotate them multiple times during the day. From a distance, this behavior could give the impression that they are head-buried.
Additionally, since they search for food, such as grasses and occasionally tiny animals like mice, frogs, and insects, ostriches spend the most of their time with their heads near to the ground.
With a top speed of 43 mph (70 km/h), they are the world's fastest-running birds, according to the Smithsonian's National Zoo.
Ostriches have numerous natural predators in the wild, such as lions, leopards, and cheetahs, and they frequently flee from danger.
In order to blend in with the surroundings, they will occasionally lie very flat on the ground with their necks outstretched if they are unable to flee. According to some accounts, ostrich adults use their wings to stir up the dust beneath them, forming a cloud that deters potential predators from pursuing their young. They are even capable of giving a lion-killing kick.
In actuality, ostriches do not need to bury their heads in order to detect and avoid predators; instead, they rely on their speed and acute senses.
Elise Poore
Source livescience.com
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