✗ The myth everyone repeats
Ostriches are so fast they can outrun most cars and vehicles.
✓ What is actually true
While ostriches are the fastest-running birds, reaching speeds up to 45 mph (72 km/h) in short bursts, most cars easily exceed this speed. Average cars travel at 55+ mph, and any maintained automobile speed surpasses an ostrich's maximum sprint. The myth conflates short bursts of speed with sustained velocity.
Reception
The receipts 2 sources
- Smithsonian Magazine: Ostrich SpeedREFERENCE
- National Geographic: Bird SpeedsREFERENCE