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Emu

(Dromaius novaehollandiae)
Aboriginal names: "dhinawan" [gamilaraay], "atyimba", "boolongena", "kaltee", "miowera", "pinyali", "punnanumta", "wakaje", "warritcha"
Size: 1.5-2 m

Habitat
(for details refer to a field guide)

Emus can be found almost anywhere on the Australian continent, with the exception of the big urban centres, the central part of the NT and a region stretching from about the Pilbara in WA to the Nullarbor. There are no Emus on Tasmania either.

Emus like best semi-arid grassland, scrubland and open woodlands. With chicks they usually stay in denser woodlands until these are strong enough to emerge out into the open.

Sightings

We have encountered Emus in various parts of the Australian continent.

They are quite common in parts of rural New South Wales, such as the semi-arid plains, but also more mountainous country.

Interestingly, there are a lot of Emus in the valley of the Castlereagh River west of Coonabarabran, including Warrumbungle National Park and also throughout the Pilliga scrub, but there are hardly any in and around Mt. Kaputar National Park, less than 100 km further to the north. In general, Emus are less common around Narrabri than near Coonabarabran, just 100 km further south, possibly due to more intensive agriculture (broadacre farming) in the Narrabri region.

Also seen by us in March 2008 in the (at the time dry) floodplains of the Darling River between Brewarrina and Menindee and also further west, towards the Flinders and Gammon Ranges in South Australia.

Photos

Adult with two immature Emus

Adult, probably male, Emu in Warrumbungle National Park, 30 km west of Coonabarabran, NSW

"French Can-can a la Emu"

Close-up portrait of an old male Emu

Immature Emu

Portrait of an immature Emu

Distant view of two Emu chicks on a dirt road; they were seen in September 2008 and at the time about 0.5 m tall

Emu chick seen from behind, fleeing through tall grass

Breeding information

Breeding season: Apr - Oct Eggs: 6 - 12 Incubation period: 60 days Fledging age: N/A

An old, well-camouflaged male tends to the nest and incubates the eggs (while the rest of the flock can be feeding elsewhere). Later he rears the chicks in dense woodland. They come back out into open grassland again when the chicks are relatively safe from predators. These old male birds will later also lead the chicks away from their birth places so as to ensure that they cannot, as adults, mate with close family members.

Nest

Type: Scrape Material: Grass and/or leaf lining Height above ground: N/A

Emus use slightly elevated moulds in open grassland that they scrape clean of vegetation before lining them.

Eggs

Size: 135 x 90 mm Colour: Dark green Shape: Elliptical

Emu egg; one can clearly see the egg's structured surface

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Roaming Mobility: Vagrant; migratory in WA Elementary unit: Solitary/pair/family clan

We have observed family groups of up to 10 birds in total, slowly progressing while searching for food, usually seen foraging in open grasslands. When approached by humans they take flight into cover at high speed, except where used to the presence of humans, as e.g. near picnic areas.

The "social behaviour" characterisation of "roaming" (above) indicates that family clans of Emus are not territorial, but they are not communal either.

Food

Although normally vegetarian, feeding on plants on open plains or open woodlands, Emus are known to occasionally also take insects.