The ostrich is the giant of the bird world. A large one may weigh three hundred pounds and stand eight feet tall, but almost half of the height is neck. The ostrich used to be called the "camel bird." Like a camel, it has a long neck and a humping walk, and can go for a long time without water. 
The male has a glossy black body and whitewing and tail plumes. The female is dull gray and white. Legs and neck are mostly bare. Birds like ostriches and kiwis have feathers all over their bodies, unlike flying birds, whose feathers grow in patches.