Author: Desere Hockman

Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae)

("Emu")

Inhabits: Emus can be found in many parts of mainland Australia. They will inhabit different biomes throughout Australia, including forests, grassy plains, and desert areas.

Diet: Emus are omnivorous, meaning they will eat both meat and plants. They will eat a variety of fruits, insects, flowers and seeds.

Migration Patterns:The emu can migrate if their environment undergoes a change that changes their food or water supply.

Hibernation Patterns:Does not apply

Physical Adaptations:

Perhaps the best adaptation of emus is their ability to live and survive in a variety of habitats. Emus' food sources are expanded as they are able to move from one habitat to another.
Emus are the among the largest living birds on Earth, second only to ostriches. Emus can grow to be over 6 feet in height, and can weigh over 100 pounds. Their size deters predators from trying to attack.

("Animal Spot: Emu")

An emu's tail feathers are not so soft. Instead, they are stiff and can be rattled by the bird to scare off predators, such as dingoes.
Emus have tiny, relatively useless wings, but their legs are long and very powerful. They can travel long distances at a fast trot and can sprint at 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour) for quite a distance. Emus are the only birds with calf muscles. Their feet have three toes and fewer bones and muscles than those of flying birds. Their strong legs also allow the bird to jump 7 feet (2.1 meters) straight up. With good eyesight and amazing agility, emus can escape most any trouble!
The emu has a pouch in its throat that is part of the bird's windpipe and is used for communication. When the pouch is inflated, the emu can make deep booming, drumming, and grunting sounds. These calls are usually made during courtship and the breeding season and can be heard up to 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) away! A hiss, described by one of our animal trainers as "bloodcurdling," is very effective at warning off dingoes.

("San Diego Zoo's Animal Bytes: Emu")

Behavioral Adaptations:

Female emus lay an average of 8 - 12 dark-green eggs in a nest built on the ground made of twigs, dirt, vegetation and other materials. After the eggs are laid, females will leave the nest. Males will stay with the nest to incubate the eggs for approximately 2 months until the eggs hatch. This might be because the males are larger and can better protect their young.

("Animal Spot: Emu")

Emus are very inquisitive and curious creatures. In certain circumstances emus may approach people to investigate them. It is important to remember that as wild animals emus may be dangerous and should not be approached in the wild. This is not an adaptation that helps them survive, but may be one that leads it into extinction.
Usually solitary, emus can form enormous migratory flocks when moving toward better food resources. Flocks have been tracked traveling long distances for food. In fact, in Western Australia, emu movements follow a seasonal pattern: northward in the summer and southward in the winter.
The emu serves a very important role in its habitat: seed dispersal specialist! Seeds that are eaten whole often come out whole, and as the emu wanders about, it leaves perfectly fertilized seed-carrying deposits behind in its droppings.
It's a good thing he ate extra food to build up his reserves of body fat before the breeding season, because he stays on the nest for the next eight weeks, getting up only to turn the eggs, and will lose up to one-third of his body weight. Females may or may not find another male to mate with during this time. This second male may incubate his own clutch, or the female might find the nest of another emu pair where she can lay her eggs. In a good season, a female emu may lay three complete clutches! This process is called overproduction and is used by animals to ensure a substantial number of offspring make it to adulthood.

("San Diego Zoo's Animal Bytes: Emu")

"Emu." Animal Spot. Web. 23 Nov 2010. <

"San Diego Zoo." San Diego Zoo's Animal Bytes: Emu. San Diego Zoo, 2010. Web. 23 Nov 2010. <

"The Animal Spot." Animal Spot: Emu. Animal Spot, 2010. Web. 23 Nov 2010. <