Editing Common ostrich (section)

====Physical adaptations====

Common ostriches have developed a comprehensive set of behavioral adaptations for [[thermoregulation]], such as altering their feathers.<ref name=Deeming /> Common ostriches display a feather fluffing behavior that aids them in thermoregulation by regulating [[Convection (heat transfer)|convective heat loss]] at high ambient temperatures.<ref name=polly /> They may also physically seek out shade in times of high ambient temperatures. When feather fluffing, they contract their muscles to raise their feathers to increase the air space next to their skin.<ref name=zool241 /> This air space provides an insulating thickness of {{cvt|7|cm}}.<ref>Mitchell</ref> The ostrich will also expose the thermal windows of their unfeathered skin to enhance convective and radiative loss in times of heat stress.<ref name=Mitchell>{{cite journal|last=Mitchell|first=Malcolm|title=Ostrich Welfare and Transport|journal=Ostrich Welfare|series=Ratite Science Newsletter|pages=1–4|url=http://www.worldpoultry.net/PageFiles/28775/001_boerderij-download-WP6727D01.pdf|access-date=28 December 2013|archive-date=28 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131228103741/http://www.worldpoultry.net/PageFiles/28775/001_boerderij-download-WP6727D01.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> At higher ambient temperatures lower appendage temperature increases to {{cvt|5|C-change}} difference from ambient temperature.<ref name=polly /> Neck surfaces are around {{cvt|6|-|7|C-change}} difference at most ambient temperatures, except when temperatures are around {{cvt|25|C}} it was only {{cvt|4|C-change}} above ambient.<ref name=polly />

At low ambient temperatures the common ostrich utilizes feather flattening, which conserves body heat through insulation. The low [[Thermal conduction|conductance coefficient]] of air allows less heat to be lost to the environment.<ref name=zool241 /> This flattening behavior compensate for common ostrich's rather poor cutaneous evaporative water loss (CEWL).<ref name=Louw>{{cite journal|last=Louw|first=Gideon|author2=Belonje, Coetzee|title=Renal Function, Respiration, Heart Rate and Thermoregulation in the Ostrich (''Struthio Camelus'')|journal=Scient. Pap. Namib Desert Res. STN|year=1969|volume=42|pages=43–54|url=http://www.the-eis.com/data/literature/Louw_1969_sci_pap_NDRS_ostrich.pdf|access-date=29 November 2013}}</ref> These feather-heavy areas such as the body, thighs, and wings do not usually vary much from ambient temperatures due to this behavioural controls.<ref name=polly /> This ostrich will also cover its legs to reduce heat loss to the environment, along with undergoing [[piloerection]] and [[shiver]]ing when faced with low ambient temperatures.