Is the idea that ostriches stick their heads in the sand/ ground true? If not, where did the idea come from?

Answer 1

They like bugs and worms.

Answer 2

No it is not true. In highschool I worked for an ostrich ranch and never saw them doing this. Check out what Wikipedia has to say about where this myth came from: In popular mythology, the ostrich is famous for hiding its head in the sand at the first sign of danger. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder is noted for his descriptions of the ostrich in his Naturalis Historia, where he describes the ostrich and the fact that it hides its head in a bush. There have been no recorded observations of this behavior. A common counter-argument is that a species that displayed this behavior would not likely survive very long. The myth may have resulted from the fact that, from a distance, when ostriches feed they appear to be burying their head in the sand because they deliberately swallow sand and pebbles to help grind up their food. Burying their heads in sand will in fact suffocate the ostrich.

Answer 3

It's true because I've seen it on the discovery channel. They do it because they are afraid and they think of it as if I don't see it it isn't there. That's why some people will say that some people are like ostriches with there head in the sand.

Answer 4

They will put their head and beak to the ground when feeling fear. But not into the ground. It may have looked that way to some people.
Ostriches are very big birds, with very small heads and a brain the size of a pea. They are not very smart and therefore act on instinct.