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The Emu

Australia's tallest bird

The species name for the Australian emu

is dromaius novaehollandiae.

In the wild, emus will eat seeds, small

pieces of plants, fruit, berries as well

as small animals like insects.

In appearance, the emu looks like

no other Australian bird, with the

possible exception of the cassowary. Emus

grow to about 150 or 180 centimetres tall.

Females are heavier than males. These birds

are covered with long, drooping feathers that

are grey or black in colour. Though they can not fly, emus can move very quickly. Their powerful legs allow them to run up to

30 km/hr. They are also good swimmers.

The female emu lays a clutch of between eight and twenty eggs. She might then leave the male, and might even have another clutch of eggs with another male emu. The male emu sits on the eggs and hatches them. The eggs are large and dark green in colour. The newly hatched chicks, which are about thirty centimetres tall, have vertical grey stripes so that they are well camouflaged in the bush. The male emu cares for the chicks until they are about six months old.

Emus certainly are interesting birds.