When you think of ostriches, you might picture their size, their speed, or those giant eggs. But here’s a fact that still makes me stop and think every time I see one on the African plains: an ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain.
I remember the first time I learned this on a safari in South Africa. Our guide pointed out an ostrich in the distance and asked us to guess which was bigger. Naturally, most of us thought it had to be the brain. Boy, we were wrong!
How big are ostrich eyes compared to their brain?
Each ostrich eye measures about 5 cm across, which is roughly the size of a billiard ball. Their brain, however, is smaller and flatter, taking up less space in the skull than one eye does. It’s an odd bit of anatomy, but it’s no accident. Evolution has clearly decided that in the wide, open savannas of Africa, sharp eyesight is more valuable than extra brainpower.
The survival advantage of giant eyes
With such huge eyes, ostriches have incredible vision over long distances. They can spot a predator, like a lion or cheetah, from far away – often before other animals in the area notice. In fact, zebras or antelopes sometimes rely on ostriches as an early warning system. If the ostrich starts moving, others know something’s up.
Their eyes also let in more light, which is useful in both bright daylight and during early mornings or late afternoons. They don’t see well at night like owls do, but during the day, their vision is superb.
Eye protection in the dusty savanna
In a place where dust storms are common, those massive eyes need protection. Ostriches have not just the regular upper and lower eyelids, but also a third eyelid: a thin, translucent membrane that sweeps across the eye like a windshield wiper to clean and moisten it. On top of that, they have long, dark eyelashes that help shield their eyes from dust and harsh sunlight: a handy feature when you live in open, windy landscapes.
More than just big eyes
Of course, ostriches have other impressive features. They’re the fastest two-legged runners on Earth, reaching speeds of over 70 km/h (43 mph). They also lay the largest eggs of any living animal, each weighing about 1.5 kg – the equivalent of two dozen chicken eggs.
But for me, it’s the eye-to-brain ratio that really stands out. In the wild, where spotting danger early can mean the difference between life and death, keen eyesight often matters more than a big brain.
Final thoughts
Next time you see an ostrich in the wild, remember that those huge eyes are not just for show. They’re one of the best survival tools in the African savanna, proving that sometimes it’s not how much you think, but how far you can see.
What do you think? Were you surprised to learn that an ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain? Share your thoughts or any fun ostrich facts you know in the comments below. I’d love to hear them!
Happy safari!
Kind regards,
Lizzy
I now have a YouTube channel as well!
YouTube
Hello Africa travellers!
Who am I? Well, the least you can say is that I am quite crazy about Africa, its nature, its climate, its culture, and more.
As a young woman in my twenties, I had already traveled to several African countries by traveling along in an overlander on my own and mostly camping ( or glamping ) and just fell in love with the diversity of it all.
So much, so that at the age of 26, I went back to university to study biology, which, unfortunately, I couldn’t finish because of health reasons (yes, I got sick from a tropical disease, oh cynicism). But this did not stop my dream of traveling back to Africa several times, and I still do.
My dream was back then to leave Europe and go study animal behavior, especially the elephants (sure, that’s every girl’s dream haha), but I am also very much intrigued by hyenas and other “ugly African animals“.
So, I “kind of” have a little bit of a scientific approach to my articles, when I write about African birds, for example. And most of all: the passion.
But life goes on, you move from one side of the country to the other, you get sick again and top it off with lower back problems, and before you know it, you are over 50 hahaha!
Now, I still travel to Africa, but take it a bit “easier” than the good old camping days, and stay in comfortable, yet affordable accommodations, together with my husband Wouter.
These are some of the countries I have traveled to: Kenya, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Tunisia, and a little bit of Lesotho LOL .
While clearly not being African territory, but Spanish, I also visited Gran Canaria and Tenerife, and location-wise, I consider them “African”, because of their climate and nature, sue me :-p
The last trip I took was to South Africa in the year 2023, and it sure got the fevers for Africa back! From the Barberton mountains to the Drakensberg and the Southcoast, one month wasn’t enough at all to see the whole country, so we’ll be back! At ease and with a little bit more luxury than in my younger days haha!
I wish you happy travels!
Kind regards
Lizzy