Pronunciation: [ˈɒstɹɪt͡ʃ] (IPA) 
The spelling of the word "ostrich" can be a little tricky due to the presence of a silent letter. The word is spelled as /ˈɒstrɪtʃ/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first letter "o" is pronounced as "ah" as in "father" while the "s" is sounded like "s" in "snake". The "tr" combination produces a "t" sound followed by an "r" sound. The final "ch" at the end is pronounced as "tʃ" like in "church".
Ostrich is a noun that refers to a flightless bird native to Africa, known scientifically as Struthio camelus. It is the largest living bird species, easily recognized by its enormous size, long neck, and long, powerful legs. Ostriches are characterized by their distinctive appearance and behavior.
In terms of appearance, the ostrich is covered in feathers which are predominantly brown and grey in color. The male ostrich typically displays predominantly black feathers, while the females have more greyish-brown feathers. They have a large body, often reaching heights of up to 9 feet (2.75 meters), and weighing around 220 to 350 pounds (100 to 160 kilograms). Their wings are relatively small compared to their huge bodies, but they are not used for flying.
Ostriches are known for their unique behavior, particularly their ability to run at high speeds, even reaching up to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour), making them the fastest running birds on land. They also possess the largest eyes of any land vertebrate, accompanied by excellent eyesight. Additionally, ostriches have a keen sense of hearing and a well-developed sense of smell.
In terms of habitat, ostriches are naturally adapted to various landscapes, including grasslands, savannas, and semi-desert areas, generally preferring open spaces where they can easily spot approaching predators. They primarily consume plant matter, including seeds, fruits, leaves, and flowers, but they are also known to consume insects and small vertebrates.
Overall, ostriches are unique and fascinating creatures, known for their impressive size, remarkable speed, and adaptations that have allowed them to thrive in their natural environments.
The largest bird in the world, swift-running, and with short wings and long neck.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word ostrich originated from the Middle English word ostriche, which can be traced back to the Old French term ostruce and the Latin word avis struthio. The Latin term is a combination of avis, meaning bird, and struthio, referring to the ostrich. The Latin word struthio is derived from the Ancient Greek term strouthos, which also means ostrich.
