Little
Ages 3–5
Very thick lines and a few big areas. Easy for small hands.
Ostrich Coloring Pages
An ostrich is a bird that cannot fly, but it has a very long neck, big fluffy feathers and two strong legs made for running, so a tiny head on a tall neck sits above a round, feathery body. The little page, for ages 3 to 5, has very thick outlines, a few big shapes and no background, the kids page, for ages 6 to 8, has thick lines, and the detailed page, for ages 9 to 12, has finer lines and more areas to color. Print one out or tap to color it on screen.
Choose a level and print
The same drawing in three levels. Print it from the page or download a PDF.
Kids
Ages 6–8
Thick lines and a simple background to color.
Detailed
Ages 9–12
Finer lines, more areas and patterns for older children.
Color online
Choose a color, then tap an area of the picture to fill it. When you are happy, save it as an image or print it.
Coloring online needs JavaScript. You can still print the pages above.
Real colors to try
These are the natural colors of this animal. Use them, or pick your own.
- black feathers
- white wing feathers
- grey-brown
- pinkish skin
- sandy gold
- savanna green
Ostrich facts for kids
- Ostriches are birds that cannot fly, but they can run fast on their long, strong legs.
- Ostriches live in Africa, in open grasslands and dry lands.
- A male ostrich has black feathers with white wing and tail feathers. A female is grey-brown.
- Ostriches do not really bury their heads in the sand. When they lie low, their long necks rest flat along the ground.
- Ostriches eat mostly plants and seeds, and sometimes small insects.
How to use this coloring page
- Little level: the neck is a thin shape, so go slowly with a chunky crayon. Start with the big round body and color the neck last.
- Kids level: a male ostrich is black and white and a female is grey-brown. Let each child decide which one they are coloring.
- Detailed level: use a soft pencil and short strokes that all point the same way to build up fluffy feather texture.
- At home, after coloring, find out together how the strong legs help an ostrich run, then pretend to run like one.
- Print at 100% on plain paper. Slightly thicker paper is a good idea if you use markers for the big fluffy tail feathers.
Pip's idea
Give the ostrich rainbow tail feathers, one color for each feather, and keep the neck and legs a plain pinkish grey so the feathers stand out.
Questions and answers
- Do ostriches really hide their heads in the sand?
- No, that is just a story. When an ostrich lies low with its long neck stretched out along the ground, it can look from far away as if its head is buried, but it is only resting or keeping out of sight.
- What colors should I use for an ostrich?
- A male ostrich has black body feathers with white wing and tail feathers, while a female is grey-brown. Their long necks and legs are a pinkish grey. Choose either one, or invent your own.
- Is the little ostrich page right for a three-year-old?
- Yes. The little level is made for ages 3 to 5, with very thick outlines, a few big shapes and no background, and an ostrich is easy to spot as a round body on top of two long legs.
