Outside the Country Gate...

Outside the Country Gate...

An Emu stands on the other side of the gate…*The word emu comes from the Portuguese word ‘ema’, which means ‘large bird’. Standing up to 2 m tall, adult male emus are Australia’s largest birds. In size, they are second only to ostriches in the world. Their powerful legs give them great speed, some running up to 50 km per hour. At full pace, an emu’s stride can measure up to 3 m.

The emu belongs to a group of flightless running birds with flat breastbones known as ratites. Ratites are the oldest of modern bird families. They include kiwis, ostriches and cassowaries. The emu’s feathers are very primitive and look like a form of coarse hair. The special nature of these feathers enables emus to cope with extreme changes in weather.

The emu’s tracheal pouch, which is part of its windpipe, is used for communication. It is over 30 cm long and very thin-walled, and it allows the bird to produce deep guttural grunts. This pouch develops fully during the breeding season and is most frequently used during courtship.
Where do they live?

The emu is a hardy bird and will survive in most parts of Australia’s rugged environment, but it avoids thickly forested regions. It thrives in remote places like the dry plains at Australia’s centre, the tropical woodlands to the north, and the cold snowfields of the high country.
What do they eat?

Emus eat a wide variety of leaves, grasses, fruits, native plants, and insects. In spring and summer, their diet consists mainly of flowers and seeds. In autumn, as those foods become scarce, they graze on young grass which sprouts after summer rains. In winter, herbs form the emu’s main food. They eat insects when these are available – such as during grasshopper plagues.
Keeping out of danger

Emus do not have the option of flying away if under attack from predators. If attacked from above by other birds such as the wedge-tailed eagle, emus will run in a zigzag pattern. However, at close quarters their main defence is a swift kick or two with their powerful legs. *
Link info from www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/TheEmu.htm
Photo taken by me Werribee Zoo, Melbourne Victoria..
on Olympus sp550 UZ

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