It's a question that might pop up when you're thinking about those magnificent, long-necked birds from Africa – the ones that can't fly but sure can run. You see one, and it's an ostrich. But what happens when you encounter more than one? Do they gather in flocks? Do they form herds? The simple answer, as it turns out, is also the most common one in English: ostriches.
Yes, it's that straightforward. Just like you wouldn't say you saw 'two cat' or 'three dog', when you have more than one ostrich, you have ostriches. It follows the standard English pattern for forming plurals by adding an '-es' to words ending in 'ch' (though many words ending in 'ch' just add an '-s', like 'monarchs' becoming 'monarchs').
It's interesting how sometimes the most common word can have the most straightforward plural. We often expect a quirk, a historical anomaly, or a special rule, especially with animals. But with ostriches, the plural is as direct as their stride across the savanna.
Of course, the word 'ostrich' itself can sometimes be used metaphorically, referring to someone who avoids problems by ignoring them, much like the (somewhat inaccurate) image of an ostrich burying its head in the sand. In that context, you might talk about 'ostriches' in a figurative sense too – a group of people who are collectively refusing to face reality. But at its heart, the plural of the bird remains a simple addition of an 'es'.
