Animal Information
Emu
Dromaius. novaehollandiae
Where am I from?
I am from Australia. My family was very
important in the countries history. We are even the National
bird. I am the largest bird in Australia and the second
largest bird in the world.
Who are my relatives?
Other types of Ratite are in my family,
such as the Ostrich, Rheas and Cassowary.
How am I born?
I develop inside a huge green colored
egg with a very thick and hard shell. I am incubated
for 56 days. When I hatch from my egg I have stripes
that help me hide from predators in the grass. I leave
the nest within a few days of hatching. I am a little over
9 ½ inches tall at this time.
How long does it take
me to grow up and how long do I live?
My dad incubates the eggs and stays
with us until we are 18 months old. He protects us and shows
us how to find food. We are full grown at 12 to 14 months
old and will stand around 6 ½ feet tall.
What kind of family
life do I have?
Emus are mostly solitary. They
sometimes form large flocks, mainly to look for food
sources. My parents will pair up during the summer months to
breed. Dad incubates the eggs once Mom lays them in the
nest. He takes his job very serious and does not eat or
drink while he is sitting on the nest. Once the female has
laid her eggs and the male is brooding the female mates with
other males.
What do I eat and
when do I eat?
I eat a variety of seeds and insects
native to Australia. In captivity I am given seeds and
grains. I also like crickets, grasshoppers and
caterpillars. I will graze all day, but I like you to feed
me first thing in the morning.
Who are my predators?
In the wild, when we are young we are
hunted by foxes, feral dogs and wild pigs. As adults we have
problems with loss of habitat and collisions with cars.
What is the history
of my relationship to man?
Emus have been used for leather,
meat and oil for centuries by the aboriginal people of
Australia. Today emus are raised for the same
reason.
Comments:
The male Emu has more blue color on the
face and neck. The female makes a sound like a drum when
she talks. The booming comes from an inflatable neck sac.
Lucky one of our Emus here at the Ranch is imprinted with
humans. She gets very protective of us and won’t let other
Emus near when we are in the enclosure.
|
![](Animals/images/emu02.jpg)
Lucky was hatched at camp and thinks she is a person.
She would prefer being with the campers over spending time
with the other emus
![](Animals/images/emu.jpg)
We have six emus at camp and they all like taking food right
from your hand. |