Emus

The average top speed of the Australian Emu is 50km an hour, or 31 mph, but it is believed that they have actually been clocked at 75kph. Average cruising speed is around 45 kph.

Emus can also swim quite comfortably.

Emus average between 1.5 and 1.8 metres tall, and some have been recorded as reaching 2 m tall. They tend to average 1.3m to 1.5m at the shoulder.

An adult emu weighs between 30 and 45 kilograms (66 - 99 pounds), with the female usually slightly heavier than the male.

At 14 to 18 months of age they will weigh between 80 and 120 pounds. Many female Emu can lay eggs before they are 2 years old, whereas males attain sexually maturity between 3 and 4 years of age.

Birds have 2 legs.

Plants are one of the things emus eat, but not the only thing. Emus are omnivores, and they will eat anything that is remotely edible, including some things which are not. They are very curious birds that will try almost anything, using their large beaks to peck at and pick up food.

Commonly, they eat insects, caterpillars, grubs and other invertebrates; seeds, nuts, flowers, fruits, young leaves and other plant parts; lizards, other small animals and even animal droppings. They do not eat dry grasses or older leaves, even if that's all that is available to them. They are more likely to move on to other food sources.

No. Although they are classed as birds, they are among the very few birds that can't actually fly at all. They are members of a group of birds called ratites. Ratites have wings but the bones in their chests do not have the capacity for flight muscles, which is what a bird needs to fly. The rhea is also a ratite.

Dromiceiidae: The Emu. Emu and cassowary eggs both vie for the title of the second largest egg, second only to the ostrich. Emu and cassowary eggs are basically the same size.

Emus grow to between 1.6 metres and 2 metres high, on average. They weigh between 30 and 45 kilograms, with the female usually slightly heavier than the male. They have brown shaggy feathers which act as insulation against heat, whilst their head feathers are darker. They have brown eyes, and a blue patch on their neck.

Although emus are classed as birds, they are one of the very few birds that can't actually fly at all. They are related to a group of birds called ratites. Other ratites include the ostrich from Africa and the rhea from South America.

Ratites have wings but the bones in their chests do not have the capacity for flight muscles, which is what a bird needs to fly. Although the emu does not actually weigh as much as it appears (30-45kg), its wings are also too small by comparison to lift it.

Emu eggs are dark green in colour. The curious thing about emu eggs is revealed when they are etched. Etching uncovers layers of different colours, ranging between dark shades, light shades and some in-between hues.

Emus are large, flightless birds of Australia. They are classed as birds, but they are one of the very few birds that can't actually fly at all. They are related to a group of birds called ratites. Other ratites include the ostrich from Africa and the rhea from South America.

The sound made by an emu can best be described as a deep-throated "drumming". They are able to fill their throat pouches with air, generating a drumming sound that can be heard several kilometres away.

Emus grow to between 1.6 metres and 2 metres high, on average.

Emu chicks have stripes for camouflage and protection. The stripes of a young emu chick make it much harder for a predator to detect in grassland and open bushland, which is the emu's natural habitat.

The only people who can buy emus are emu farmers, or those with licences which permit them to keep emus in fauna reserves.

Because emus are a protected native species, emu licences are only available from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

It is difficult to find the price of emus in Australia. However, emus are becoming commercially viable overseas, and the Texas Agricultural Extension Service lists the following information, but this is from 1996:

Emu chicks aged between 3 and 4 months old are $3,500 to $4,500 each. Day-old chicks are rarely available, but if available, are priced from upwards of $1,000. The disadvantage of purchasing day-old chicks is that their sex cannot be determined at such a young age. Yearling emu prices for a sexed pair range between $12,000 and $18,000, whilst two-year-old birds go for $25,000 to $28,000 per pair. If you wish to purchase a pair of emus that have proven to be good breeders, the pair can easily go for between $30,000 and $40,000.

Only if there is a male in with the birds. Emu's form breeding pairs and remain together for up to five months breeding every day or two. Every second or third day the female deposits an egg into the nest built by the male. When between 11 and 20 eggs are in the clutch the male will incubate these for eight weeks.

An Australian bid with three letters is the "emu".

Emus do not have any specific shelter at night time. They may shelter under large trees or near bushes, as long as they are not completely out in the open. They only ever build nests at breeding time; these nests are dug out of the ground and lined with sticks, leaves and grass.

Yes.

Emus occur in all Australian states except Tasmania. They can be found almost anywhere in the country except within urban areas, although they can be found on the outskirts of these areas.

Emus range from coastal areas, where they are becoming increasingly rarer due to developments and roads, to the sub-Alpine regions. Therefore, they can take a range of temperatures from cool-temperate to hot-temperate.

Emus used to be found in Tasmania, but European settlement resulted in their extinction there. Two dwarf species of emu inhabited Kangaroo Island (off the South Australian coast) and King Island (in Bass Strait) but they also became extinct, mostly due to being hunted by whalers and sailors.

Emus are in fact native to Australia, the western neighbour of New-Zealand. I think you're thinking of the Kiwi, an animal that looks a little alike the Emu, but is much smaller and native to New-Zealand; (Indeed, a nickname for New-Zealanders here in Australia is 'kiwis'!)

both can't fly