Ostriches are omnivores and eat a diverse array of roots, flowers, bulbs, grasses, grains, and fruits, as well as insects, lizards, and small rodents. An adult ostrich typically needs around 1kg to 1.8kg of food every day, which means they’ll generally eat anything available to them. They do lean towards being vegetarians, however. Whilst ostriches are omnivores, more than 50% of their diet is made up of plant matter. 20% is made up of stones, sand, and grit, which ostriches use to grind up food in their gizzards – a specialized muscular stomach. This helps them digest pretty much anything they can swallow.
