Do ostriches really bury their heads in the sand?

Ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand. Zoos, a university science office and science media all describe the idea as a myth. The belief probably comes from a few ordinary ostrich behaviors that look like head-burying when seen from far away. An ostrich that actually pushed its head into sand would not be able to breathe, as BBC Science Focus points out. [1] [2] [3]

Live Science says the idea is thought to come from the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder, writing about 2,000 years ago. In Book 10 of The Natural History, he describes ostriches imagining that their whole body is hidden once they have thrust their head and neck into a bush. McGill University's Office for Science and Society also traces the myth to ancient Rome. Pliny's account involves a bush rather than sand, so the modern phrasing has drifted from the original wording. The saying about burying your head in the sand, meaning to avoid facing problems, grew out of this belief. [3] [4]

Ostriches do not build nests in trees or elsewhere above ground. They lay their eggs in shallow holes dug in sand or dirt. Several times a day they lower their heads and use their beaks to turn the eggs so they are heated evenly. From a distance, this can look as if the bird has put its head into the ground. Live Science adds that both parents rotate the eggs. [2] [5] [3]

Ostriches also keep their heads low while foraging for grasses and small animals such as mice, frogs and insects. Their heads are small compared with their bodies, which makes it easier to think the heads have vanished. [3] [4]

Ostriches usually run from danger. They are the fastest-running birds, with a top speed of about 43 miles per hour (70 kilometers per hour), according to Live Science citing the Smithsonian's National Zoo. They also live in groups, so at least one bird is likely to spot an approaching predator. [3] [1]

If an ostrich cannot escape, it may drop to the ground and lie still with its head and neck flat in front of it. The San Diego Zoo notes that the light-colored head and neck blend with the soil, so from afar only the body is visible and the bird seems to have buried its head. National Geographic gives a similar explanation. A cornered adult can also fight, delivering a kick strong enough to kill a lion. [1] [6]