The ostriches on this recent Wednesday morning are being standoffish. They’re hanging out near the back of their pen with no apparent desire to meet some visitors.

Linda the emu is being much more social, wandering about and getting close — but not too close — as she circles around a Gazette photographer.

The ostriches and emus are arguably the stars of the show at Warriors Roost — “a veteran-owned, Southern-driven bird ranch” in Ellicott, east of Colorado Springs. But there is also an immense cast of supporting characters — more than 200 birds, including chickens, geese, peacocks, pheasants, turkeys and guinea fowl.

And there’s also the nonfeathered menagerie, including a horse with scars from a mountain lion attack, three burros, cats and dogs, and Sheila the pig.

Warriors Roost is i

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