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[dree12]

Is this a leftover from testing or an intended feature? If intended, can anyone explain why ostriches are selected to drop them?

[Yoink]

They're called 'gizzard stones', that's where certain birds, upset by their lack of teeth, will keep a coarse rock in their throats to grind up food, like chewing.
I didn't know this either til DF told me. Educational, much? Of course, if you find an ostriche with a pitchblende gizzard stone, yeaah...

[NW_Kohaku]

The game is currently "stupid" about the types of stones birds will swallow.  They'll swallow pretty much anything, and it seems a little too common for them to swallow rather rare stones.

Of course, the birds in question are often stupid.  I remember reading years ago about a zookeeper who had to fight the ostriches off from their own droppings in order to prevent them from eating their own waste material. 

[HiEv]

They're called 'gizzard stones', that's where certain birds, upset by their lack of teeth, will keep a coarse rock in their throats to grind up food, like chewing.
I didn't know this either til DF told me. Educational, much? Of course, if you find an ostriche with a pitchblende gizzard stone, yeaah...

I prefer calling them gastroliths, it sounds fancier. 

Also, the gastroliths (usually quite numerous) aren't kept in the throat, but in the gizzard, which is below the throat and esophagus.  In the real world they're usually not much more than pebbles though.  For good images of ostrich and chicken gastroliths, see here: Gastroliths - Stomach Stones

[o_O[WTFace]]

Can they swallow ores?  Ostrichite could be the 5th iron ore

[Sphalerite]

Can they swallow ores?  Ostrichite could be the 5th iron ore

Ostrich gastroliths can be any stone, even ore stones, but you can't smelt a gemstone at the moment.

[Neonivek]

The game is currently "stupid" about the types of stones birds will swallow.  They'll swallow pretty much anything, and it seems a little too common for them to swallow rather rare stones.

Of course, the birds in question are often stupid.  I remember reading years ago about a zookeeper who had to fight the ostriches off from their own droppings in order to prevent them from eating their own waste material.

Ohh my a Chalk stone! I will ignore that the bird probably would have outright digested that.

[FearfulJesuit]

Can they drop candy?

[FrisianDude]

Man, HFS should spawn Ostrich-demons with slade gastroliths.

[TychoTheDwarf]

Ostriches and emus are both mindbogglingly stupid.  As are chickens and turkeys.    Personal experience.  They taste pretty damn good in a burger or chili, though.

Also, birds aren't the only critters that utilize gastroliths.

[Captain Crazy]

Ostriches and emus are both mindbogglingly stupid.  As are chickens and turkeys.    Personal experience.  They taste pretty damn good in a burger or chili, though.

Also, birds aren't the only critters that utilize gastroliths.

Didn't Plesiosaurs use them too" 

[KodKod]

Didn't Plesiosaurs use them too" 

Yes. Sauropods are also thought to have used them.

[King Mir]

Given the close relationship between birds and dinosaurs, they aren't a good example of something different.
 

[MarcAFK]

My chicken is partial to white marble and basalt gastroliths.
Just saying.