Stand next to a male ostrich and you look up. His body is level with your chest, his neck rises past your head, and a pair of eyes the size of golf balls looks down at you from almost a metre above.
Compared to a human, an ostrich is huge. A male ostrich stands 2.1 to 2.7 m (6 ft 11 in to 8 ft 10 in) tall, while the average American man is about 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in). So a big male is nearly a metre taller than an average man. A female, at 1.7 to 1.9 m, is about as tall as a man.
Key takeaways
- Height: males 2.1–2.7 m (6 ft 11 in–8 ft 10 in); females 1.7–1.9 m (5 ft 7 in–6 ft 3 in).
- Weight: males 100–130 kg (220–287 lb), females 90–110 kg (198–242 lb). A female weighs about the same as an average American man (90 kg).
- Record holder: the ostrich is the largest living bird, with the largest eye of any land animal, almost 5 cm (2 in) across.
How big is an ostrich compared to a human?
A male ostrich is 35 to 95 cm taller than an average American man and outweighs him by 10 to 40 kg. A female ostrich is about the same height as a man and the same weight. Much of the ostrich’s height is its long neck: its body sits at roughly the height of an adult’s chest.
Picture it: ostrich vs human height chart
Heights drawn to scale (1 m = 80 px). The paler top of each bar shows the range from smallest to tallest adults.
In words: male ostrich 2.1–2.7 m; female ostrich 1.7–1.9 m; average US man 1.75 m; average US woman 1.61 m; emu 1.5–1.9 m; southern cassowary 1.2–1.7 m. Sources: San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (birds); CDC National Center for Health Statistics, 2021–2023 (people). Converted from the CDC averages of 68.9 in and 63.5 in.
| Measurement | Male ostrich | Female ostrich | Average US man | Average US woman |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standing height | 2.1–2.7 m (6 ft 11 in–8 ft 10 in) | 1.7–1.9 m (5 ft 7 in–6 ft 3 in) | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | 1.61 m (5 ft 3.5 in) |
| Weight | 100–130 kg (220–287 lb) | 90–110 kg (198–242 lb) | 90 kg (199 lb) | 78 kg (172 lb) |
Bird figures come from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and human figures from CDC body measurement data for US adults aged 20 and over. For a much bigger size gap, see how big a blue whale is.
How tall is an ostrich?
Male ostriches stand 2.1 to 2.7 m (6 ft 11 in to 8 ft 10 in) and females 1.7 to 1.9 m (5 ft 7 in to 6 ft 3 in), says San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo says a fully grown ostrich can be up to 9 feet (2.7 m) tall, including its long neck. Females are usually shorter than males.
That height has a purpose. On open savanna, a head held 2 m or more above the ground, with an eye almost 5 cm (2 in) across, can spot a predator a long way off.
How much does an ostrich weigh?
A male ostrich weighs 100 to 130 kg (220 to 287 lb) and a female 90 to 110 kg (198 to 242 lb), according to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The Smithsonian gives 90 to 136 kg (200 to 300 lb) for adults. So a female weighs about as much as the average US man, and a male outweighs him by up to 40 kg.
Why is an ostrich so big?
The ostrich gave up flying and became a runner. Being big and fast on open ground helps it see danger early and escape it. One stride can cover 3 to 5 m (10 to 16 ft), and it can sprint at about 70 km/h (43 mph) and hold about 50 km/h (31 mph), says San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
That puts it among the fastest animals in the world. Ostriches are the only birds with just two toes on each foot; all other birds have three or more. When cornered, an adult can deliver a kick that San Diego Zoo says is powerful enough to kill a lion.
Chicks grow into that body fast. They hatch about the size of a farmyard chicken, grow about 30 cm (1 ft) a month, and are nearly adult-sized by six months. A month-old chick can already run at close to 56 km/h (35 mph).
Is the ostrich the biggest bird in the world?
Yes. The ostrich is the largest living bird. The emu is the second largest, at 1.5 to 1.9 m (4 ft 11 in to 6 ft 2 in) and 30 to 55 kg (66 to 121 lb), says San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The southern cassowary stands 1.2 to 1.7 m (4 to 5 ft 7 in), with females up to 76 kg (167 lb).
So a male ostrich can be about a metre taller than a cassowary and more than twice as heavy as most emus. Cassowary figures are from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. For the biggest birds that can fly, see the largest eagle in the world.
How big is an ostrich egg?
An ostrich egg is about 15 by 13 cm (6 by 5 in) and weighs around 1.5 kg (3 lb), about as much as 24 chicken eggs, says San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. It is the biggest egg of any living bird. Several females may lay in one shared nest, and the main hen places her own eggs in the centre.
Ostriches are part of a busy savanna food web. They mostly eat plants, especially roots, leaves and seeds, plus insects and small animals, and they graze alongside giraffes, zebras, wildebeest and gazelles. Hyenas, jackals and Egyptian vultures eat some of their eggs.
Myths about ostriches
Myth: Ostriches bury their heads in the sand.
Fact: They don’t. A cornered ostrich may lie flat with its pale head against the ground, so from far away it looks buried, explains San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Why people believe it: that low, flat pose really does look like a buried head from a distance.
Myth: Ostriches are over 3 m (10 ft) tall.
Fact: The top of the range on zoo pages is about 2.7 m (9 ft). Why people believe it: photos from low angles exaggerate height, and big numbers spread online.
Myth: Ostrich wings are useless.
Fact: Ostriches can’t fly, but they hold their wings out for balance when running and use them in courtship displays. Why people believe it: we expect wings to be for flying.
Test yourself
1. How tall can a male ostrich be?
Up to about 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in to 9 ft).
2. Which weighs more: a female ostrich or the average US man?
They are about the same: 90–110 kg for the ostrich, about 90 kg for the man.
3. How many toes does an ostrich have on each foot?
Two. It is the only bird with just two toes.
Where to next?
➡️ Go wider: the fastest animals in the world⬆️ Go deeper: how tall a giraffe is, the tallest animal on land🔀 Go sideways: how big a blue whale is
Frequently asked questions
How tall is an ostrich compared to a 6 ft man?
A 6 ft man is 1.83 m. A male ostrich stands 2.1 to 2.7 m, so even a small male is taller, and a large one beats him by almost 90 cm. A female ostrich, at 1.7 to 1.9 m, is about the same height as that man.
Does an ostrich weigh more than a person?
Usually, yes. A male ostrich weighs 100 to 130 kg and a female 90 to 110 kg, says San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. The average US man weighs about 90 kg, according to the CDC. So a female matches a grown man, and a male is heavier than most people.
Can an ostrich really be 9 feet tall?
Yes, at the very top of the range. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo says a fully grown ostrich can be up to 9 feet (2.7 m) tall, including its neck. Most males are between 2.1 and 2.7 m. We found no confirmed record taller than that on a zoo or museum page.
How big is a baby ostrich?
Ostrich chicks hatch about the size of a farmyard chicken, says San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. They grow about 30 cm (1 ft) a month and are nearly adult-sized by six months old. A month-old chick can already run at close to 56 km/h (35 mph).
Sources
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Ostrich.
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Ostrich.
- CDC, National Center for Health Statistics. Body Measurements (FastStats), citing Anthropometric Reference Data for Children and Adults: United States, August 2021–August 2023.
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Emu.
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Cassowary.
Sources checked 12 October 2026.
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