Ostriches have the largest eyes of any land animal. They are about the size of a human fist and can weigh more than three pounds. Each eye is as big as a tennis ball and their eyesight is three times better than ours.
An ostrich’s eye is so big that it takes up about half of its brain. The rest of the brain is used for controlling the powerful legs which can cover 16 feet in a single stride.
The ostrich’s eyes are set on the sides of its head which allows the bird to have a wide field of view. This is helpful when the ostrich is running from predators. The ostrich can see in all directions at once which gives it a better chance of escape.
Interestingly the ostrich’s eye is also very sensitive to light. When the sun is bright the ostrich will lower its head and close its eyes. This helps to protect the delicate tissue from the harmful UV rays.
The ostrich is not the only bird with large eyes. The kiwi a bird native to New Zealand also has eyes that are about the size of a human fist. The kiwi’s eyes are so big that they make up about 15 percent of its body weight.
While the ostrich’s eyes are the largest of any land animal the blue whale has the largest eyes of any creature on Earth. The blue whale’s eyes are about the size of a soccer ball and its eyeballs weigh about six pounds each.
The blue whale’s eyes are so big that they have to be supported by muscles. These muscles are so strong that they can move the eyeballs in and out of the sockets.
The blue whale’s eyes are also very sensitive to light. Like the ostrich the blue whale will lower its head and close its eyes when the sun is bright.
The ostrich and the blue whale are both amazing creatures with large eyes. While the ostrich’s eyes are the largest of any land animal the blue whale’s eyes are the biggest of any creature on Earth.
How large is an ostrich’s eye in relation to its head?
The ostrich’s eye is almost as big as its brain and is the largest eye of any land vertebrate.
How many times can an ostrich see its own reflection in a mirror?
An ostrich can see its own reflection up to six times in a mirror.
What is the smallest thing an ostrich can see?
The ostrich can see objects that are two feet long from a distance of two miles.
How long can an ostrich keep its eyes open without blinking?
The ostrich can keep its eyes open for several minutes without blinking.
What is the ostrich’s primary use for its eyesight?
The ostrich uses its eyesight primarily for finding food and water.
What is the ostrich’s secondary use for its eyesight?
The ostrich also uses its eyesight to protect itself from predators.
How many eyelids does an ostrich have?
The ostrich has three eyelids.
What are the functions of the ostrich’s three eyelids?
The three eyelids of the ostrich serve to protect the eye from the sun wind and dust.
What is the color of an ostrich’s eye?
The ostrich’s eye is dark brown.
What is the ostrich’s field of vision?
The ostrich has a field of vision of about 270 degrees.
How does the ostrich’s field of vision compare to that of humans?
The ostrich has a much wider field of vision than humans.
What is the ostrich’s sense of smell like?
The ostrich has a very poor sense of smell.
What is the ostrich’s sense of hearing like?
The ostrich has a very acute sense of hearing.
What is the ostrich’s sense of taste like?
The ostrich has a very poor sense of taste.
What is the ostrich’s sense of touch like?
The ostrich has a very keen sense of touch.
