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Emus
Large, flightless birds of Australia: their appearance, habitat, facts, and myths.
415 Questions
Like most animals, emus communicate via sounds. 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 hundreds of metres away.
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.
Although there used to be dwarf emus on southern islands (which became extinct due to them being hunted by sealers and whalers), there is now only one species of emu.
People do not poach emus. Emus are farmed in many places, so they are readily available.
No animals are producers. A producer produces food from light energy - only plants and some protists can do this.
What is the female emu's role in looking after the young?
Female emus have no part in looking after the chicks. They only lay the eggs. The male builds the nest, incubates the eggs and raises the chicks.
What does an emu eat where does an emu live the largest emu recorded and the smallest emu recorded?
Emus are only found in Australia, and their preferred habitat is open bushland or grassed plains.
Emus are omnivores, and they will eat anything that is remotely edible. 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. Emus also swallow quite large stones and charcoal to help them digest their food.
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.
Emus are extremely curious creatures. They are not at all shy (though they may initially be wary of people). Their tendency towards curiosity has been misinterpreted as aggression. Although they're not at all aggressive, their curiosity causes them to peck at anything that piques their interest, and sometimes people have interpreted this as an attack.
The male emu is the one who incubates the eggs. For the entire time he is sitting on the eggs that (usually) several females have laid, he does not eat or drink, but just stands several times a day to turn the eggs. That is the only movement he makes until the chicks have hatched. He is also the one who raises the chicks.
How do emu mate and will emu mate whit human?
emus will not mate with humans they can only mate with their own kind
No. Emus' eggs are dark green in colour. They have different shades of green underneath the outer surface, but they are not blue.
Emus live anywhere between 10 and 20 years in the wild, but their average in captivity tends to be around 19 years.
All emus are flightless.
Emus live anywhere between 10 and 20 years in the wild, but their average in captivity tends to be around 19 years.
Yes. Emus have a number of predators and enemies, but their greatest defence is their size and speed. Man remains one of the biggest threats, together with his introduced wild dogs, mostly domestic dogs gone feral. These are the only creatures in Australia that can threaten an adult emu.
However, young emus are subject to predation by dingoes, feral cats, foxes, goannas and eagles, while lizards eat emu eggs.
Emus grow to between 160cm and 200 cm high, on average.
Emus can become very personable if they are brought up with human contact. They are curious birds, and interested in people and (basically) anything that moves. They can certainly be tame enough to approach and touch, but they will always be unpredictable.
Where do emus live in the winter?
Australia has very mild winters in most areas where emus are found, so the emu lives exactly where it does during summer. The only difference is that emus may move to where the rains are falling. Many areas of Australia experience drier winters than summers.
Why does the emu and the kangaroo face inwards on the coat of arms?
It is commonly believed that the emu, along with the kangaroo, were chosen because they are two of very few animals that are said to be unable to walk backwards. This belief is reflected in the Australian Government website on the Australian Coat of Arms.
Putting them on the emblem means we "advance Australia" as sung in Australia's national anthem. These creatures symbolise progression forwards. This is supported by the fact that the scroll on the coat of arms originally read "Advance Australia" (now it just reads "Australia").Whether or not the emu can actually walk backwards has been a matter of debate for some time. Whilst there is nothing in the emu's physiological makeup to suggest they cannot walk backwards, the fact remains that no emu has ever been observed to walk backwards.
It is pertinent to note that the emu and kangaroo were possibly also chosen because they are the most well known Australian animals that are large enough to hold a shield.
What type of feet does the emu have?
Emus have feet which are perfectly adapted to a large flightless bird. They have three toes on each foot, a characteristic of all flightless birds which are built for running (except for the ostrich). This is an adaptation which enables the emu to make sudden, high speed turns when running from predators. In addition, they have long, sharp claws on each toes, which can be used for protection.
No - and you cannot ride an emu. Its body is too light to hold a human's weight.
Do male emus eat while sitting on eggs?
No. During the time the male emu is incubating the eggs, he neither eats nor drinks. He does not leave the nest at all.
