Emu
Dromaius novaehollandiae
Where is it found?
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Forests, woodlands and grasslands
Diet and foraging method
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Foraging on the ground by probing the soil and picking up food from the ground.
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Key adaptations
Combination of being the only bird with calf muscles, having three toes on each foot and powerful, long legs allows for incredibly quick and effective running of up to 30mph.
Strong legs allow for lethal kicking to defend against predators.
Beak specialised for grazing.
Shaggy plumage acts as a sunblock.
Strong legs allow for lethal kicking to defend against predators.
Beak specialised for grazing.
Shaggy plumage acts as a sunblock.
Social organisation and mating system
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Travel together in small groups and can often form huge herds for locating food sources and foraging.
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Exhibit promiscuity, polyandry and polygynandry
Males incubate the clutches of eggs
Did you know that...?
Emus communicate with an "e-moo" call produced by an inflatable throat pouch. This call can be heard 2km away!
Taxonomy
Sources
Maps from: http://species.mol.org/species/
"Emu RWD1" by DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Emu_RWD1.jpg#/media/File:Emu_RWD1.jpg
"Emu444" by Benjamint444 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Emu444.jpg#/media/File:Emu444.jpg
"Dromaius novaehollandiae head 02" by Christian Jansky (User:Tschaensky) - Own work (own photo). Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dromaius_novaehollandiae_head_02.jpg#/media/File:Dromaius_novaehollandiae_head_02.jpg
"Emu RWD1" by DickDaniels (http://carolinabirds.org/) - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Emu_RWD1.jpg#/media/File:Emu_RWD1.jpg
"Emu444" by Benjamint444 - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Emu444.jpg#/media/File:Emu444.jpg
"Dromaius novaehollandiae head 02" by Christian Jansky (User:Tschaensky) - Own work (own photo). Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dromaius_novaehollandiae_head_02.jpg#/media/File:Dromaius_novaehollandiae_head_02.jpg
