The common ostrich, the world’s largest living bird, is known for its running capabilities. Despite being flightless, these birds have evolved to be terrestrial runners, an adaptation for survival in their natural habitats. Their ability to cover vast distances at high speeds allows them to escape predators across open landscapes. This agility on two legs distinguishes them.
Ostrich Top Speed
Ostriches are considered the fastest birds on land, reaching high speeds. They can sprint at a top speed of approximately 43 miles per hour (70 kilometers per hour).
While they can achieve short bursts at this pace, they are also capable of sustaining high speeds. Ostriches can maintain a speed of around 30 to 37 miles per hour (48 to 60 kilometers per hour) for extended periods, sometimes for up to 30 to 40 minutes.
This combination of burst speed and endurance makes them effective runners, surpassing many other land animals in sustained pace. For context, this speed is faster than a galloping horse, though not as fast as a cheetah, which holds the record for the fastest land animal.
Physical Traits for High Speed
The ostrich’s impressive speed is attributed to several specific physical adaptations. Their long, muscular legs are designed for strong propulsion, capable of covering 10 to 16 feet (3 to 5 meters) in a single stride. These legs contain strong muscles, particularly in the thighs, which contract with strong force to propel the bird forward. The arrangement of their leg musculature, with most of the muscle mass located high on the thigh and hip, allows the lower leg to be comparatively light, enabling faster leg swings.
The ostrich’s feet are also adapted for running. Unlike most birds that have three or four toes, ostriches possess only two toes on each foot. This reduced number of toes, with the larger, inner toe resembling a hoof, enhances running efficiency by reducing weight and providing good grip and thrust.
Their specialized foot structure, which allows them to run on the tips of their toes, coupled with elastic tendons, enables a “spring in their step” that stores and releases energy with each stride. This elastic energy storage reduces the muscular effort needed to run, contributing to their speed and endurance. Ostriches also use their wings as “rudders” to help with balance and to change direction while running at high speeds.