Does an ostrich really bury its head in the sand when its afraid? And if not, where does the saying come from?

Question

Does an ostrich really bury its head in the sand when its afraid? And if not, where does the saying come from?

Answer 1

yes the encyclopedia

Answer 2

Yes.  The encyclopedia.

Answer 3

Actually, that’s a myth: ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand! When an ostrich senses danger and cannot run away, it flops to the ground and remains still, with its head and neck flat on the ground in front of it. Because the head and neck are lightly colored, they blend in with the color of the soil. From a distance, it just looks like the ostrich has buried its head in the sand, because only the body is visible.

Answer 4

http://www.ostriches.org/factor.html#hea...

OSTRICHES BURY THEIR HEADS IN THE SAND

Fiction! Ostriches do NOT bury their heads in the sand.

This tale originates from the fact that the male ostrich will dig a large hole (up to 6 to 8 feet wide and 2 to 3 feet deep) in the sand for the nest / eggs. Predators cannot see the eggs across the countryside which gives the nest a bit of protection. The hen as well as the rooster takes turns setting on the eggs and because of the indention in the ground, usually just blend into the horizon. All birds turn their eggs (with their beak) several times a day during the incubation period. From a distance it appears as though the bird has his/her head in the sand.

An ostrich's first response to fear is to run. Not only do they not stay to protect the eggs, they attempt to detract a predator to follow them. Due to the fact that they can run sustained speeds of about forty miles per hour, most predators are quickly lost and the eggs are safe.

The photo at the top of this page was set-up by placing food in a hole.

Answer 5

i've seen ostriches  lay there  heads on the sand but nt dig there heads' in

Answer 6

No ostriches don't bury their heads or else they'll be eaten by a predator, but they do run over 40 mph, I don't where the saying comes from.

Answer 7

it doesnt.

the myth is thought to have originated with  pliny the elder of ancient rome

for more, see the wiki article