What are the differences between a kangaroo and an emu?

Answer 1

There are a great many differences between a kangaroo and an emu.

To begin with, the kangaroo is a marsupial mammal while the emu is a bird. This means the kangaroo gives birth to live young which continue their development in the pouch, whilst an emu lays eggs which hatch. Being mammals, kangaroos have a body covering of fur, while emus have a body covering of feathers, being birds.

Kangaroo young are known as joeys, and they are reared by the mother kangaroo. The father takes no part in rearing the young. With emu young, which are called chicks, the father emu is the one who incubates and raises them.

Kangaroos can hop great distances and at high speeds, but they cannot move their hind legs independently. Emus cannot hop, but their primary means of locomotion is to walk or run, moving their legs independently.

There are over 60 species of kangaroos, and most of them are herbivores, with just a few of the smaller species being omnivores. There is now just one species of emu (there used to be three), and they are omnivores, feeding on anything that piques their interest.

Emus have beaks, and must swallow their food whole. Sometimes they also swallow stones to help with their digestion. Kangaroos, on the other hand, have teeth, which are used to chew and grind the food for swallowing. Kangaroos are grazing animals, unlike emus, and they will laze under trees, chewing their cud.