How to Draw an Ostrich

An ostrich can't fly, but its powerful legs help it run very fast. This unusual bird will make a fantastic addition to the cast of creatures you can draw.

Learn how to draw this ostrich.
Learn how to draw this ostrich.

In this section, we’ll show you how to draw the above ostrich. Either draw it freehand while looking at your computer monitor or print out this page to get a closer look at each step.

Follow the red lines in each illustration to learn exactly what to draw in that step. The lines drawn in previous steps are shown in gray. We’ll show you an illustration of each step and then give you a description of how to draw it.

Start by drawing shapes for the ostrich's body, wing, head, and neck.

Step 1: Draw a sideways teardrop for the body and a circle above it for the head. Add a long shape for the neck, connecting the head to the body. Draw an oval for feathers where the neck meets the body, and add a shape for the wing.

Next, draw the ostrich's beak, legs, and feet.

Step 2: Draw ovals for the upper legs and two long rectangles for the lower legs. Add the beak and toes.

Next, sketch the ostrich's eyes, toenails, and feathers.

Step 3: Draw ovals for the eyes, and add lines for the eyelids. Put pupils in the eyes. Draw small ovals for the toenails on the front and back toes. Add curved lines for feathers around the neck and on the back wing, upper legs, and tail.

Add more details to the ostrich drawing as shown.

Step 4: Sketch in lines for details on the mouth, eyes, nostril, lower legs, and feet. Add more curved lines for feathers on the head, neck, wing, and tail.

Finish by tracing the lines you want to keep in the ostrich drawing.

Step 5: Trace the lines you want to keep with a felt-tip pen, and erase any extra lines.

Step back and admire your finished drawing. If it looks good, you're ready to color it. If not, practice drawing it again. After all, practice makes perfect!

In the next section, we'll teach you how to draw another speedy animal -- a horse.

Want to expand your drawing skills? See: