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The Somali ostrich occurs in the Horn of Africa, having evolved isolated from the common ostrich by the geographic barrier of the East African Rift. In some areas, the common ostrich's Masai subspecies occurs alongside the Somali ostrich, but they are kept from interbreeding by behavioral and ecological differences. [14]
The North African ostrich, [1] red-necked ostrich, or Barbary ostrich (Struthio camelus camelus) is the nominate subspecies of the common ostrich from West and North Africa. It has the largest average size among the subspecies of ostriches, making it the largest living bird .
The common ostrich is the largest and heaviest living bird. Males stand 2.1 to 2.75 m (6 ft 11 in to 9 ft 0 in) tall and weigh 100 to 130 kg (220 to 290 lb), whereas females are about 1.75 to 1.9 m (5 ft 9 in to 6 ft 3 in) tall and weigh 90 to 120 kg (200 to 260 lb). [20]
The paleognaths (Palaeognathae) are a clade of bird species of gondwanic distribution in Africa, South America, New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. The group have more than 50 living species and includes the ostriches, rheas, kiwis, emus, cassowaries and tinamous. They are, with Neognathae, the two main lineages of modern birds .
They are distantly related to the African ostriches and Australia's emu (the largest and second-largest living ratites, respectively), with rheas placing just behind the emu in height and overall size. Most taxonomic authorities recognize two extant species: the greater or American rhea (Rhea americana), and the lesser or Darwin's rhea (Rhea ...
Ostrich farming in North America began in the late 19th century, initially focusing on the production of feathers, which were highly prized for fashion accessories. [3] The first ostrich farm was established by Charles Sketchley in California where the climate was similar to the ostriches' native habitat in Africa. [4]
The Somali ostrich occurs in the Horn of Africa, having evolved isolated from the common ostrich by the geographic barrier of the East African Rift. In some areas, the common ostrich's Masai subspecies occurs alongside the Somali ostrich, but they are kept from interbreeding by behavioral and ecological differences. [ 15 ]
Ostriches were present in Asia as recently as the Holocene, although the genus is thought to have originated in Africa. [15] However, the ostrich order may have evolved in Eurasia. [15] A recent study posits a Laurasian origin for the clade. [16] Geranoidids, which may have been ratites, existed in North America. [17]