Ostriches are the largest living bird in the world and they are also one of the fastest able to run at speeds up to 43 miles per hour. With all of these impressive physical abilities you would think that ostriches would have few predators but that is not the case. These big birds have a number of natural enemies both on the ground and in the air.
On the ground the main predators of ostriches are lions leopards and hyenas. These large carnivores are more than capable of taking down an ostrich and they often do. Ostriches are also sometimes killed by cheetahs though this is less common.
In the air the main predator of ostriches is the African hawk. These birds of prey are able to take down an ostrich though it is not an easy task. Ostriches also sometimes fall prey to eagles and other large birds of prey.
While ostriches have a number of predators they are still a very successful species. This is due in part to their large size and powerful legs which give them a good chance of escaping from danger.
