Ostriches
(So Big That They can't Fly!)

Ostriches are the biggest birds in the world. They are taller than us. An ostrich is approximately two and a half metres (98 inches) tall and weighs 120 kilograms (264 pounds).

These birds, which live in colonies in Central Africa, can't fly. Instead, Allah has given them a different ability so that they can escape from their predators: They run very fast with their long legs. They run so fast that no man can keep up with them. Ostriches are the fastest two-legged animals in the animal kingdom and they reach speeds of 70 kilometres (43 miles) per hour. And now let us tell you something very interesting. Do you know that ostriches have only two toes on their feet? What is more, one of these toes is considerably bigger than the other. And ostriches run only on their big toes.

Besides that, thanks to their long legs enabling them to run fast, ostriches are very good warriors. To protect themselves against their enemies, they kick their predators.

The egg of the biggest bird in the world is also the biggest bird egg in the world. They dig a very deep hole in the sand and place all their eggs in it. But when they lay more than 10 to 12 eggs, they need to adjust the size of the hole accordingly. If the ostrich dug this hole in soil instead of sand, this would take a longer time, causing the birds to consume more energy. Indeed, digging sand is much easier than soil. You may even dig sand with your hands whereas you need a shovel to dig soil. For this reason, ostriches, by the inspiration of Allah, prefer digging in the sand rather than in soil and thus consume minimal energy. Then they cover their eggs with sand again without difficulty.

Another interesting piece of information about ostriches is that the care of all eggs in a flock is undertaken by a single female ostrich. But, since the nest can shelter only a limited number of eggs, the female ostrich gives priority to her own eggs. Ostriches distinguish their own eggs by the air pores on the egg shells.

The baby ostriches emerging from the eggs are utterly defenceless. At any moment, they could be attacked by a predatory bird. Yet, when new-born ostriches feel endangered, they lie on the ground and act as if dead. This way, their predators, assuming they are dead, do not attack them. Without exception, all baby ostriches employ this defence mechanism.

It is impossible for a new-born chick to think up such a tactic or to learn how to employ it! So, how could a baby bird that has only recently opened its eyes to the world act as if dead? The answer is obvious. Our Lord, the One Who teaches and educates every living being, has also taught these little babies such an effective defence mechanism, so that they can protect themselves.