Do ostriches really bury their heads in the sand?

From goldfish having a three-second memory to snakes being charmed by music, there are many misconceptions about animal behaviour. This myth about ostriches is one of them. 

Do ostriches really bury their heads in the sand?

Thanks to their keen eyesight, ostriches (the world's biggest bird) often spot a predator, such as a cheetah or lion, before it sees them. In response, the birds may flatten themselves to the ground to appear like a large (if feathered) rock or mound. They don’t stick their heads into the ground, though. 

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If they are spotted, flightless ostriches have a much better way of escaping danger: running very fast in the opposite direction. These birds make up for their lack of airborne ability with super speed – they are the world’s fastest two-legged animal, capable of reaching speeds of up to 70kph. 

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The head-burying myth may have stemmed from the fact that the ostrich digs into sand to create a nest. As large flightless birds, ostriches cannot nest in trees, so the male scrapes out a hollow in the ground with his beak. This could look like he is burying his head in the sand.