Emu, flightless bird of Australia and second largest living
bird: the emu is more than 1.5 metres (5 feet) tall and may weigh more than 45
kg (100 pounds). The emu is the sole living member of the family Dromaiidae (or
Dromiceiidae) of the order Casuariiformes, which also includes the cassowaries.
Description of the Emu
This species is quite large, with long legs, relatively
small wings, and long necks. They use their long legs to run along the ground.
Each foot has three forward facing toes, each of which has a long toenail. When
threatened, Emus use their muscular legs to kick and defend themselves.
This bird’s wings are virtually useless, as they cannot fly.
Their feathers are soft, fluffy, and brown. At their necks and heads their
feathers become sparse and inconsistent, showing greyish-blue skin underneath.
The largest of these birds stands over 6 feet tall, and weighs up to 88 pounds
or so.
Where do Emu live?
Emus are only found in Australia. They’re highly nomadic and
their range covers most of the mainland. Emus were once found in Tasmania, but
were exterminated by early Europeans. The two dwarf species that inhabited
Kangaroo Island and King Island are now also extinct.
An Emu's preferred habitat includes open plains but they're
also found in snowfields, forests and savannah woodlands. They seldom inhabit
highly populated areas, rainforests or arid regions, but permanent water
sources for stock has increased numbers in more arid areas.
According to the IUCN their conservation status is of ‘least
concern’. In Australia there are between 625,000 to 725,000 wild emus. Globally
they’re farmed for their meat, leather and oil; there are about 1 million
domestic emus in the United States alone! (US Dept of Agriculture)
Emu Habitat
The Emu is common in mainland Australia but will avoid
heavily populated areas, arid land and dense forests. They can survive in most
habitats throughout Australia but most common locations are sclerophyll forests
and savanna woodlands and grasslands.
Emu Diet
An Emus omnivorous diet consists of grasses, flowers, fruit,
berries, seeds from the Mulga shrub, various plants and insects including
crickets, grasshoppers, ladybirds, caterpillars, ants and moth larvae. They
also require stones and pebbles to assist the digestion of plant material. Emus
have also been known to eat charcoal. Emus travel long distances to find food.
They migrate on foot on journeys as far as 500 kilometres or more to find
abundant feeding areas. Emus tend to forage for food in a diurnal pattern.
Emu Behavior
Emus are champions of paternal care. After helping to
prepare a nest, the female lays 5 to 15 large dark-green eggs, then promptly
wanders off to breed again. The nest is a platform on the ground of trampled
grass 1m to 2m in diameter.
Emus also love to swim, flopping into the water and soaking
their feathers. Our remote monitoring cameras on Monjebup Creek in Western
Australia captured this great photo of a father Emu taking his chicks for a
dip.
Emus are diurnal. They sleep at night, and rest, preen and
eat during the day. They’re omnivores, eating fruits, seeds, flowers, shoots,
insects, snails, small animals and animal droppings.
They're important seed dispersers. Like Cassowaries, they
swallow stones to help them grind food in their gizzard. They can go for weeks
without eating, and walk for up to 25km a day in search of food!
Normally silent, they make deep booming, guttural noises
during the breeding season. The boom can be heard up to 2km away!
Emus have keen eyesight and hearing. When threatened they
hiss, puff up feathers and, if necessary, kick the opponent or predator. The
sharp claws on the end of their three toes can inflict deep wounds. If attacked
from above they run in a zigzag pattern.
Reproduction of the Emu
Once a female sees a dance that she likes, the pair mates.
She lays her eggs in the nest the male has built, and then she leaves. Females
sometimes move on to breed with another male. Males perform all incubation and
chick rearing duties.
On average, a nest contains about 10 eggs, though some nests
contain up to 2 dozen eggs. The father carefully rotates the eggs and defends
them from predators. It takes around 45-60 days for the eggs to hatch. The
chicks are dependent on their father until they are about 18 months old.
Interesting Facts About the Emu
These birds, like their cousin the ostrich, are relatively
well known. Emus are incredibly charismatic and interesting birds, learn more
about what makes them unique below.
Deadbeat Moms – In the rest of the avian world, females
usually take over most of the responsibility when it comes to chick rearing.
When it comes to Emus, dad is the responsible one! Males build the nest,
incubate the eggs, and voraciously defend their chicks, all without the help of
the female. In fact, he is so protective of the chicks, he will drive mom away
if she ventures too close!
Dedicated Dad – Because mom doesn’t help him out, dad takes
on a lot of responsibility when it comes time to breed. In fact, males usually
do not eat or drink very much during this process. A male who is incubating
eggs and caring for chicks loses a significant amount of weight.
Emu Discovery – The first people to formally describe this
interesting bird were European explorers in the 1789 Voyage to Botany Bay.
Before the name Emu came around, the head of the voyage, Arthur Phillip, called
the birds the “New Holland Cassowary.” Surprisingly he wasn’t far off, as Emus’
closest relatives are indeed cassowaries.
European Destruction – Sadly, not all European explorers and
settlers meant good news for these birds. Settlers quickly decimated two
subspecies of dwarf Emus on Kangaroo Island and King Island. The King Island
species was just short of three feet tall, and about half the size of the
standard species.
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