Appearance
Standing up to 2m tall, the emu has shaggy grey and brown feathers that are tipped with black. It has a long bluish-black neck and head with very fine black feathers, and large yellow-orange eyes. Its legs are long and powerful. It has large feet with three toes and sharp claws to help it run. Although it can’t fly, it has small wings. Emu chicks have distinctive dark brown and cream stripes.
Distribution and habitat
Emus are found in all Australian states except Tasmania. In Victoria, the emu is widely distributed particularly in the western, northwestern, and Gippsland regions. It tends to avoid heavily populated areas and dense forests. Emus are found in a variety of habitats, but prefer open woodland, scrubland, and plains.
Diet
The emu eats a variety of plants and animals including seeds, fruits, plant shoots, insects, and small animals like lizards. They forage during the day and seek out the most nutritious part of the plant to eat. Because the emu doesn’t have teeth, it eats stones and charcoal to help grind up its food inside its gizzard (a special stomach chamber).
Behaviour
The emu is nomadic and will roam distances of up to 15 to 25 km per day in search of food and water. Emus can swim but cannot fly. The emu is highly adaptable and can be found from snowy mountains to tropical coastal regions. It is usually solitary but sometimes form social groups to share nests and search for food. The emu is a curious bird, and has been known to peck at objects to investigate them.
Female emus produce a drumming sound, while male emus make a deep booming call that can be heard up to 2 km away. Emu chicks have a soft whistling call.
Breeding season
Emus pair up in summer and autumn then usually mate and breed in winter. Pairs tend to stay together for roughly five months. The emu pair will build a nest from grass and leaves on the ground. Nests can be up to 2m wide. After laying 5 to 20 dark green eggs, the female emu leaves and the male emu incubates the eggs until they hatch. The male emu will sit on the eggs for around 55 days, rarely eating or drinking. After the eggs hatch, emu chicks stay with their father for about six months as they learn to forage for food.
General fun facts
- An emu egg can weigh up to 680 grams, which is the equivalent of about 12 chicken eggs.
- The emu and kangaroo are on Australia’s Coat of Arms. It is thought they were chosen as they are the only two Australian animals that can’t move backwards. The Coat of Arms therefore symbolises a nation moving forward.
- Emus can run up to 50 km p/h, making them the second fastest bird on land in the world.