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Emu
Scientific nameDromaius novaehollandiae
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern
The Emu (mariyang means Emu in Sydney First Language) is Australia’s largest bird – but it can’t actually fly.
Sydney
Dubbo
Visitor tips for Sydney
You can see an Emu in nura diya, or at Backyard to Bush.
Keeper feed in Backyard to Bush
2pm
Fun facts about Emus
14
Their clutch size can be from 6-14 large, green eggs - and they're able to lay multiple clutches per year
Where they're found
Widespread across most of mainland Australia.
10yrs
They can live 5-10 years in the wild but can be as long as 40 years in zoos.
What they eat
They're omnivores mainly eating seeds, fruits, leaves, and grasses but also insects, small animals, and animal droppings.
190cm
They can be between 150-190cm tall.
55kgs
They weigh between 30-55kgs.
Where they live
Mostly in open plains, savannah, and forests, and more rarely in rainforest, snowfields, and arid regions
Mating
Mature from 2 years old and pair from December to April
Daddy daycare
Males provide all the parental care for emu chicks. They incubate the eggs for eight weeks, and care for young for about 18 months after hatching.
14
Their clutch size can be from 6-14 large, green eggs - and they're able to lay multiple clutches per year
Where they're found
Widespread across most of mainland Australia.
10yrs
They can live 5-10 years in the wild but can be as long as 40 years in zoos.
What they eat
They're omnivores mainly eating seeds, fruits, leaves, and grasses but also insects, small animals, and animal droppings.
190cm
They can be between 150-190cm tall.
55kgs
They weigh between 30-55kgs.
Where they live
Mostly in open plains, savannah, and forests, and more rarely in rainforest, snowfields, and arid regions
Mating
Mature from 2 years old and pair from December to April
Daddy daycare
Males provide all the parental care for emu chicks. They incubate the eggs for eight weeks, and care for young for about 18 months after hatching.
Did you know?
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Tall & mighty
The emu is Australia’s tallest bird.
Freshly hatched
Newly hatched chicks are cream-coloured with dark brown and yellow stripes.
Best toe forward
Emus have 3 long forward-facing toes with pointed talons.
Pebble munchers
Emus eat large pebbles to help their body grind up food.
Super spreaders
Emus help spread seeds by pooing them out – some plants rely solely on emus for this.
Eggs of teal
Emu eggs are a beautfiul teal colour.
Cool as a cucumber
Emus use water to cool down in the heat.
Rough and feathered
Emus have scaly skin and double-plumed feathers.
Emu deep dive
The emu is Australia’s tallest bird, and the third tallest bird species globally after the Common and Somali Ostriches. It is a species of Ratite, related to Ostriches, Cassowaries, Rheas, and Kiwis. Emus are flightless with small, vestigial wings and double plumed feathers. They are an iconic part of the Australian landscape and have been featured on the coat of arms and various coins.
Newly hatched chicks are cream-coloured with dark brown and yellow stripes along the length of their body, which camouflage them well amongst the grasses and shrubs of their habitat. As they grow the stripes fade and the downy plumage is replaced by dull brown feathers. This greyish-brown colouring acts like sunscreen to protect them from solar radiation.
The three long, forward facing toes with pointed talons allow the emu to travel at high speeds and provide a power backwards kick for protection. This three-toed foot structure goes back to theropod dinosaurs, the ancestors of modern birds.
Emus eat large pebbles called gastroliths to help their muscular gizzard break and grind up food. The stomach muscles in the gizzard grind the rocks against the food to break it down as birds swallow their food whole. Gastroliths are used by many ground-dwelling birds, as well as seals, penguins, and crocodiles. Fossil evidence of gastroliths has been found in prehistoric plant-eaters like sauropods and theropods.
Emus act as a long-distance spreader of seeds for a variety of plant species, a process called zoochory. Some plant species with large seeds rely on emus for distribution, whilst others use emus as a secondary method. Seeds can remain inside the emu for a long time as they travel in search of food and water. The loss of emus to an area can lead to a loss of the specialist plant species that rely on emus for dispersal. Seed spreaders like emus will be even more important in the future as plant species will need to migrate across fragmented landscapes in response to climate change.
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