Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)

The Emu

The Emu is a large flightless bird. They stand to be 1.5 to 2 metres tall, and on average weight 36 kilograms. They have 3 toes, and long legs which allows them to run extremely fast. In this species, the female is larger than the male.

Emu's feed on grass, leaves and small insects. They live all over Australia in grasslands.

The female lays up to 20 eggs, which are large and are soft dark green in colour. These eggs are often prized not only by humans for decoration pieces, but by animals as a food source. The male incubates the eggs for a period of 7-8 weeks, and does not leave the nest for this period. When the eggs hatch, the male emu looks after the hatchlings for another six months.

Amazing Fact: The Emu is the world's third largest bird. The Ostrich and the Cassowary take the top positions.

Animal Facts: The nest of an Emu can be up to 1.5 metres wide!

Further Information on the Emu:

Bibliography:
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