Standing at 150-190cm and weighing in at up to 65kgs, Emus are the world’s second tallest bird, and third heaviest. They are a flightless species- however they do have small wings which they use to cool themselves. Their feathers are quite remarkable, as they are ‘double shafted’, meaning that 2 feathers grow from one follicle. This gives Emus their ‘shaggy’ appearance. Male emus have a blue head and throat, whereas females have only a blue ‘ear’. They have powerful longs legs, with large, 3 toed-feet, and can reach speeds of up to 50km/h.
Emus are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of grasses, herbage, caterpillars and grasshoppers. They will also ingest pebbles to aid in digestion.
Emus may live in flocks, pairs or individually, and do not have any sort of structural hierarchy.
Breeding season is from April to November, during which time females may mate with several males. Emus will build flat bed nests, and lay an average of about 9 dark green eggs. After a female has laid her eggs, it is up to the male to incubate and raise the chicks. The female will then leave and join another flock and find another mate. Males incubate the eggs for 8 weeks, and will raise the chicks for up to 2 years.
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