The Eye of the Ostrich

Here's a surprising aspect about ostriches: their eyes are larger than their brains.

Yes, you read that right.

An ostrich's eye is not only the largest eye amongst all land animals but it also exceeds the size of its own relatively small brain.

Each of an ostrich’s eyes is approximately the size of a billiard ball, measuring close to 5 cm (or 2 inches) in diameter.

In fact, because the ostrich's eyes are situated on the sides of its head, it can see almost all around itself without having to move its head.

Interestingly, the ostrich is not alone in this unique anatomy.

Some fish and bird species also have eyes larger than their brains.

In many cases, these creatures rely heavily on their exceptional sight to escape predators, find food, or navigate through their environments, making large eyes evolutionary advantageous.

This quirky fact puts the 'eye over brain' phenomenon of the ostrich in new light..