What is meant by 'play ostrich'?

When threatened, ostriches are prone to hiding their heads underground. While they may do this to protect their brains, this behavior is considered a poor survival strategy because they're still fully visible and their bodies are vulnerable to attack. read more

It was once thought that when an ostrich was in danger it hid its head in the ground believing that if it couldn't see anyone, no one could see it. That has led to the idea that if people refuse to face painful facts or unpleasant truths, they play ostrich. read more

To "play ostrich man" means ignore something that is obvious. Ostriches are supposed to bury their heads in the sand to try to escape from danger. read more