Okay, correct me if I'm wrong but were ostrich only native to Australia? Is this another "out of context" find such as the cocaine and tobacco residue/evidence reported for certain other Egyptian mummies?
Did someone WAAAAY back when bring home the birds as a curiosity or something after a trip to a far off pre-dynastic outpost? May indicate a more correct interpretation that the Egyptian ships found buried near some pyramids and said to be very seaworthy in the type of waters found beyond the Med and Nile were actually better suited to open sea travel than ceremonial river transport.
Blam, please check out Post #18 and give your opinion. It is a very interesting question.
Ostriches are native to Africa. (Decidedly does NOT taste like chicken!)
Moa (extinct) was the larger, ostrich-like bird native to New Zealand.
Cassowary (be werry, werry, wary of the ill tempered cassowary...and do NOT grab its wattles!) are Aussie, and are second in size to the ostrich.
Number three for size is the emu, also Aussie.