To print this page, select "Print" from the File menu of your browser salon.com > Travel April 19, 2000 URL: http://www.salon.com/travel/planet/2000/04/19/ostrich Ostrich attacks Norwegian farmer Feathered giant mistakes breeder for rival bird. - - - - - - - - - - - - By J.A. Getzlaff Ostriches may taste just like chickens, but they sure don't kick like 'em. Norwegian farmer Oeystein Froeysnes found this out the hard way. According to the Associated Press, Froeysnes, who lives in the village of Bygland, about 150 miles southwest of Oslo, and raises ostriches for their prized meat, stepped into one of their cages recently and wound up getting his ass kicked by a 6-foot male bird. It's mating season in the ostrich world, and the oversize fowl apparently mistook its breeder for a rival male. When Froeysnes stepped into the cage, which also contained two comely females, the male ostrich went into attack mode and smacked him. Ostriches are known for their powerful legs, and Froeysnes immediately fell to the ground -- where the big bird nearly finished him off. When the "fight" was over, the 38-year-old Froeysnes was carted off to the hospital, where he underwent surgery for broken ribs and punctured lungs. The fate of the ostrich is unknown at this time. Our guess is that his "prized meat" will end up on somebody's plate sooner rather than later. salon.com | April 19, 2000   - - - - - - - - - - - - About the writer J.A. Getzlaff's Daily Planet appears every weekday. Do you have a tip or tale for J.A.? Send it to DailyPlanet@salon.com.