Do Ostriches Bury Their Heads in the Sand? The Myth Explained

Where does the head-in-the-sand myth come from?

The idea is very old. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History written in the first century AD, described ostriches as imagining that their whole body was hidden once they had pushed their head and neck into a bush. Over time, the bush became sand, and the story of the foolish bird that hides its head became a familiar saying in many languages.

Pliny and other ancient writers mixed observation with hearsay, and many of their animal stories were wrong. The ostrich tale lasted because it makes a memorable picture of someone ignoring a problem, not because anyone saw it happen.

What are ostriches really doing?

Several genuine ostrich behaviors can look like head burying, especially across a shimmering, hot plain.

Lying flat to hide

When an ostrich senses danger and does not want to run, it can drop to the ground and stretch its long neck flat along the soil. The small head is then almost level with the ground, and the bird’s rounded body looks like a bush or a low mound of earth. In the heat haze of dry country, the head and neck can seem to disappear entirely. Nesting birds and chicks rely on this trick most, because they cannot simply run away.

Turning the eggs

Ostriches nest in a shallow pit scraped in the ground, which can be up to 3 m (10 ft) wide. The sitting bird regularly reaches into the nest with its bill to turn the eggs and keep them evenly warm. With the head lowered into the pit, it can look from a distance as if the bird has pushed its face into the sand. Learn more about these record-breaking eggs in How big is an ostrich egg?.

Feeding close to the ground

Ostriches eat mostly low plants, seeds and the occasional insect, and they spend hours with their heads down while they graze. They also swallow sand and small stones on purpose. These grit particles collect in the gizzard and help grind tough plant food, because ostriches have no teeth.

What does an ostrich do when it is in danger?

An ostrich’s real defenses are anything but cowardly. With eyes about 50 mm (2 in) across, the largest of any land animal with a backbone, it can spot a lion or cheetah long before the predator gets close. Its first choice is to run, sprinting at about 70 km/h (43 mph) and then keeping up roughly 50 km/h (31 mph) for long distances. Read more in How fast can an ostrich run?.

If an ostrich is cornered, or if it is protecting eggs or chicks, it may stand its ground and kick. Ostrich legs can only kick forward, but a kick from the large, clawed toe can seriously injure or even kill a predator. Parent birds also try to distract predators from their young, for example by pretending to be injured.

Could an ostrich even survive with its head in the sand?

An ostrich breathes through nostrils on the upper part of its bill, like other birds. Burying its head would block its airway, and it would not be able to see or hear approaching danger either. A behavior that fatal could not survive in a wild species. Zoo keepers, farmers and field biologists who have watched ostriches for thousands of hours have never recorded it.

Why does the myth matter?

Myths like this one shape how people see animals. The head-in-the-sand story paints ostriches as stupid, but in reality they are alert, fast and well adapted to life in open country with large predators. It has even given its name to the “ostrich effect,” a term in psychology and economics for people avoiding bad news. For more animal stories that turn out to be false, see Are bats blind?, another long-lived myth.

Myths and facts

Myth: ostriches hide their heads in the sand when frightened. They run, kick or lie flat. No ostrich has ever been recorded burying its head.

Myth: ostriches are not very smart birds. Their brain is small for their size, smaller than one of their eyes, but their behavior is well suited to their way of life, including cooperative nesting and keeping watch in groups.

Fact: ostriches really do swallow sand and stones. The grit helps grind food in the gizzard, which may have added to the image of ostriches with sand on their bills.

Frequently asked questions

Why do people say ostriches bury their heads in the sand?

The saying goes back at least to the Roman writer Pliny the Elder, who claimed ostriches thought they were hidden when their head and neck were in a bush. Over the centuries it became the image of an ostrich hiding its head in the sand.

What does an ostrich do when it is scared?

Usually it runs, reaching about 70 km/h (43 mph). If it cannot escape, or is defending eggs or chicks, it may kick forward with great force. Sitting birds and chicks often lie flat with the neck stretched along the ground to avoid being seen.

Could an ostrich breathe with its head in the sand?

No. An ostrich breathes through nostrils on its bill, so a bird with its head buried in sand would suffocate. That alone shows that head burying is not a real ostrich behavior.

What is the ostrich effect?

The ostrich effect is a term used in psychology and economics for the habit of avoiding bad news, for example not checking a bank balance when markets fall. It is named after the myth, not after real ostrich behavior.

Do ostriches put their heads in holes?

Ostriches lower their heads into their shallow nest pits to turn and arrange their eggs with their bills, sometimes several times a day. From a distance, this can look as if the bird has pushed its head into the ground.

Do Ostriches Bury Their Heads in the Sand? The Myth Explained

Where does the head-in-the-sand myth come from?