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In all these years researching and studying animals and birds’ behavior I came to know about their various unique habits. The peafowl’s habit of spreading wings and the ostrich’s dance has astonished me the most.
Peafowl displays their spectacular wings either to attract a peahen or when the clouds gather for rain. Just like peacocks, ostriches have got a reason to dance as well.
So, Why Do Ostriches Dance?
The wild and domestic ostriches dance to attract the female. So, the reason is the same. Since the ostriches do not have spectacular wings to display and win the female’s heart, they dance to get attention.
The domestic ostriches do not have to prove themselves that they are better, they rarely dance to get a mate.
However, the wild ostriches’ case is different they have to dance to win the mating right.
In the breeding season, the females roam around looking for a mate. Both males and females usually have multiple mates, so to get more mates the ostriches have to show some moves.
It only happens in the breeding season and it kept happening throughout the entire breeding season.
The ostrich’s breeding season stretches from March to September. In these months, you can spot an ostrich dancing to win the female’s attention.
Only male ostriches dance
The female ostriches do not dance, it’s just a male ostrich’s thing. The female ostriches do not dance because they hardly have impressed a male for courtship.
The females do roam around looking for mates but it’s the male’s job to impress a female to win the mating rights.
They try to impress female ostriches by flashing their scarlet-colored beaks, foreheads, necks, and shins, dancing their heart out, and producing a specific sound.
Ostriches dance to attract females, it is the reason why these moves are called “seduction dance”.Some other ostrich similar birds dance to attract females.
Ostriches are hyperactive in the breeding season, they roam around females to seduce them to mate.
Since the dance is performed for no other reason but seduction, it is known as an “ostrich’s seduction dance”.
How Often Do Ostriches Dance?
Well, you can not get an accurate answer to this question. The ostrich may have to dance once, twice, or even several times a day to attract a mate.
If the targeted female is taken, they have to dance and impress the other one around. So, even an accurate answer can not be given, it can be said with utmost surety that ostriches have to dance several times a day.
How do ostriches dance?
The seduction dance is pretty simple, the male flightless crouches down and alternates bringing his contrasting wings to forward one after the other.
The ostrich keeps crouching down and bringing his black and white wings forward repeatedly until the targeted female ostrich sits down to get inseminated. Ostriches walk backward and onward to give unique dancing touch.
The ostriches do a foot dance as well when they get successful in gaining attention;
It must not go unnoticed that the male ostriches have to do a lot of dance and stuff to establish dominance and win mating rights.
When the female holds her wings out from her side and shakes his tips. Gives a green signal by bobbing her head low and opening and closing her beak.
The male ostrich approaches the female ostrich doing the foot dance. Learn How to Ride on Ostriches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do ostriches dance when they are in good mood?
No, ostriches do not dance when they are in a good mood. They rather dance to attract a female for courtship in the breeding season.
Why do female ostriches not dance?
The female ostriches roam around looking for potential mates. It’s male ostriches that dance and they do so to win mating rights.
The female ostriches do not dance because they do not have to prove themselves to the male ostriches.
How to make an ostrich dance?
You can make the world’s largest bird dance unless you bring a female ostrich and it’s a breeding season.
The male ostriches dance only to win mating rights. They dance only to please female ostriches, not humans or any other birds or animals.
What does it mean when an ostrich dances?
It means that the ostrich is trying to win a female ostrich’s heart or trying to win a mating right. The male ostriches only dance in breeding season when there is a female around.
When do ostriches dance?
These flightless birds dance only in the breeding season that stretches from April to September. Since it is done to impress females for courtship, there’s no point in doing it any other time.
Conclusion
Ostrich’s dance and the peafowl’s wing display is a worth-seeing sight. They both do so to impress females for courtship.
The ostriches do not dance to please anyone else but female ostriches. These flightless birds dance to win mating rights, especially when there is a female around looking for potential mates.
The females do not dance at all, the males have to do it to win a female’s heart. Ostriches can only be spotted dancing around in breeding season; April to September.
