Somali Ostrich at Abijatta-Shalla NP, 13/10/14

Struthio molybdophanes

We saw two here and a third nonchalantly making its way across a field of crops when we were on the way back from Bishangari.

Lucky bugger

My first wild ratites.

(but not my first molybdophanes, which I saw at Budapest!)

It's rather a shame that the taxon is now gone entirely from Europe - though looking at some non-subspecific Ostrich knocking around I do suspect there are animals of partial but unofficial Somali heritage.

Trust you to manage to have your first wild ratite be a species not found in Europe though

Well, I do my best!

I have seen three different ostrich (sub)species .
Somali ostrich in Abijatta-Shalla
Australis in South Africa
and Massaicus in kenya