Ostriches bury their heads in the sand. This is not true. It is a fallacy.

When ostriches are alarmed, they do not bury their heads in the sand, but they lie low and press their long necks down on the ground. This is because they are trying to hide from their predators, or to be less visible and not so prominent (large).

From a distance, it might look as if they have buried their heads in the sand, but they haven’t.

Ostrich

Ostrich

Ostrich

Ostrich

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM