Hands Down Animals · Printable fact sheet
Emu
Dromaius
Quick facts
| Scientific name | Dromaius |
|---|---|
| Size | 1.5–2.0 meters tall |
| Weight | 36–60 kg |
| Lifespan | 10–20 years in the wild |
| Diet | Omnivorous: seeds, fruits, insects, small vertebrates, flowers, shoots, and grasses. |
| Habitat | Open savannahs, Woodlands, Grasslands |
| Where it lives | Eastern Australia, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory |
| IUCN status | Least Concern |
| Population | 630,000-725,000 |
| Top speed | 50 km/h |
| Family | Dromaiidae |
About the emu
The emu is Australia's largest bird and the second tallest in the world after the ostrich, standing up to 1.9 metres and roaming grasslands and open woodland across most of the mainland. It runs at close to 50 km/h on long three-toed legs, and it is the male that incubates the clutch of dark green eggs for about eight weeks, barely eating, then raises the striped chicks. The emu is Least Concern and appears with the kangaroo on Australia's coat of arms.
Five things to know
- The emu is the second-largest living bird in the world after the ostrich.
- Emus can sprint at speeds up to 50 km/h (31 mph).
- They cannot fly due to their tiny, vestigial wings.
- Male emus incubate the eggs and raise the chicks alone.
- Emus have double-shafted feathers that help protect them from Australia's harsh climate.
Homeschool unit: Birds homeschool guide — Flight, feathers and migration: a bird unit that uses species like the emu as its worked examples.