Big-eyed, and lanky-looking, ostriches have one of the most peculiar and curious appearances of the bird family.
With long legs and necks that make up so much of their incredible height, they are a wonder to look at and learn about.
They are the largest of all living birds, as well as the best runner among them, thanks to their two-toed feet.
Being the largest of all living bird species, their weight is obviously a huge factor among them.
Though weight is considered one of the fickle characteristics of birds based on so many extraneous variables, it is still fascinating to enumerate just how huge these big boys are!
So today that is what we are going to do. We will look at ostrich weight at different stages of their life, as well as their weight compared to other creatures for some perspective.
So without further ado, let us get right into it!
Ostrich Weight: Explained
Ostriches are the tallest as well as the heaviest birds that live in the world right now, dwarfing even some of the bigger birds of prey!
The weight of a bird is generally dependent on various factors but with ostriches especially, owing to their ambitious strides and their long strong bones, the extraneous determinants are more crucial.
Protein content levels in their diet, the effective energy from their diet, the availability of food and other resources, and environmental factors all work together to determine the weight of an ostrich.
The average weight of an ostrich in different metric systems has been illustrated in the table below.
| Ostriches Weight Range | 140 – 320 pounds | 63 to 145 kilograms |
| Ostriches Average Weight | 230 pounds | 104 kilograms |
Though these are average measurements liable to change based on the factors we discussed, there are some variations within certain subspecies.
The Masai ostriches endemic to east Africa are species with a higher average of 245 pounds in males and 220 pounds in females.
There have been exceptional cases recorded of males weighing up to 350 pounds, that is 160 kilograms! Now that is a big boy!
Ostrich Weight At Hatching, As Juveniles, And As Adults
Baby ostriches are pretty huge when you compare them with other baby birds, but are a proportionate amount when you look at them beside their parents!
Ostrich babies generally referred to as chicks, usually weigh between 2 to 2.6 pounds (1 to 1.2 kg) which makes them one of the heaviest baby birds!
Compared with the most common chick we know, chicken babies and ostrich babies are 50 times bigger than them!
The growth and development process of ostrich chicks are fairly quick, with them gaining about 10 inches per month, and growing up to about 100 pounds in one year!
The juvenile ostriches have lighter, more uneven plumage that grows into the classic frilly black plumage of the adults at about 3 – 4 years.
After this 3-4 year period, the juveniles grow to be adults, weighing in around 280 pounds.1
| Baby ostriches Weight Range | 2 to 2.6 pounds (1 to 1.2 kg) |
| Juvenile Ostriches Weight Range | 90-100 Pounds (40-45kg) |
| Adult Ostriches Weight Range | 140 – 320 pounds (63 to 145 kg) |
Ostrich Weight vs. Emu Weigh
Let us start our weight comparisons off strong with a fellow flightless bird coming up first on our list.
Emus are the largest birds in their native region of Australia but how do they compare to the mighty ostriches?
Emus have much shorter legs and necks and have a very haggard appearance to their plumage.
And the ostrich takes home the medal for this competition as the average emu weighs about 90 pounds while the ostriches absolutely dwarf them with their 230 pounds!
That is a whole 140 pounds heavier, so the ostrich remains the undisputed winner here!
Ostrich Weight vs. Lion Weight
Moving on to the big cats family, let us now pit the ostriches against the mightiest animals reigning dominance over the jungle, the lion!
Native to Africa and India, lions are large cats belonging to the Panthera genus and are some of the mightiest creatures well-adored by men.
The winner here is a more obvious one and is of course the fierce and mighty lions, with adult males averaging about 380 pounds, a whole 150 pounds heavier than the average ostrich.
Ostrich Weight vs. Elephant Weight
Moving further up the scale, our next contestant is another massive species of animal, the well-loved elephant that shakes the very earth with its heavy footsteps.
They are the largest existing land animal in the world, and also the obvious victor in this comparison.
Prepare to have your mind blown, as adult male elephants can weigh up to an astonishing 15,000 pounds!
That’s right, a whole 65 times heavier than the average ostrich weight. In fact, elephants already weigh about 200 pounds as babies! Now those are some massive animals.
Ostrich Weight vs. Human Weight
Coming back to our level for a minute, it is certainly curious to see just how big these ostriches are with us as the comparison keeper!
An average adult male weighs in at about 140 pounds, which the ostrich easily tramples by a full 100 pounds.
Ostriches average at about 230 pounds for their adult males, so we are certainly the smallest of species in the list of comparisons!
If you have ever gone to the zoo, you have experienced this mighty size firsthand, with their long flexible necks twisting over your head, and their large wide eyes peeking at you curiously.
What Is The Minimum And Maximum Weight Of Ostriches?
Ostriches are the largest living birds in this world and weigh in at a minimum of at least 150 pounds (68 kg).
On average, a sexually matured adult male ostrich weighs in at about 230 pounds (105 kg).
The maximum weight thus recorded has been an exceptional case of an adult male that came all the way up to 350 pounds! (160 kg)!
How Heavy Are Ostrich Eggs?
Seeing how heavy these birds are not only as adults but also as babies, it’s no shock that they hatch from huge eggs!
Ostrich eggs weigh about 2 – 5 pounds themselves, averaging in at 3.5 pounds. They also measure an average of 6 inches in length and also hold the record for the largest egg laid ever.
Conclusion
So that was all about the wonderfully enormous world of ostriches! Ostriches are such peculiarly interesting birds, and are a constant source of fascination for bird lovers and scientists alike!
We hope you enjoyed this tiny venture into their world, and that you learned something new about them!
Thank you for reading!
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