Common ostrich
Common ostriches usually weigh from , or as much as two adult humans. The Masai ostriches of East Africa ("S. c. massaicus") averaged in males and in females, while the nominate subspecies, the North African ostrich ("S. c. camelus"), was found to average in unsexed adults. Exceptional male ostriches (in the nominate subspecies) can weigh up to . At sexual maturity (two to four years), male common ostriches can be from in height, while female common ostriches range from tall. New chicks are fawn in colour, with dark brown spots. During the first year of life, chicks grow at about per month. At one year of age, common ostriches weigh approximately . Their lifespan is up to 40–45 years.
Ostorhinchus compressus
Although the maximum recorded standard length of "O. compressus" is 12 cm, its most common adult length is around 8.5 cm. Adults are pinkish-white, with six brown stripes along each side, iridescent blue eye rings, and up to four brown spots on the caudal peduncle (tail base). Juveniles begin with a black spot on a yellow caudal peduncle, which appears to mimic juveniles of certain piscivorous species of "Cheilodipterus".
Using a shorthand meristics formula, "O. aureus" can be described as having: