Do Ostriches really stick their heads in sand?

This animal's reputation has little to do with reality.If the giant birds really did that,they wouldn't last long amid the predators of the African savanna and desert.When a lion or a jackal approaches,these flightless birds typically runaway from the danger-a smart choice considering they can sprint speeds of more than 40 miles an hour.

So where did the head hiding myth come from?When ostriches are reluctant to free-for instance,when guarding eggs or if they are unable to outrun a predator-they may flatten themselves against the ground and lie very still in hopes of not being discovered.They press their necks and heads right against the soil,and because their heads are not as dark as the rest of their body,they can blend in with the light-colored dirt.This may have given rise to the story that they stick their heads in the sand to hide