Somali Ostrich
Struthio molybdophanes
- Family
- Ostriches (Struthionidae)
- Order
- Struthioniformes
Overview
The Somali ostrich (Struthio molybdophanes), also known as the blue-necked ostrich, is a large flightless bird native to the Horn of Africa. It is one of two living species of ostriches, the other being the common ostrich. It was also previously considered a subspecies of the common ostrich, but was identified as a distinct species in 2014. For a long time, Somalis partially domesticated some of these ostriches.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Desert to savanna plains of northeastern Africa, from northern Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Somalia southward through far southeastern South Sudan, and southeastern Kenya.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Somali ostrich
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
