Emus

Emus are the tallest bird in Australia. They are native to Australia, which means they only live in our country, in fact they have lived here for 80 million years!

The dad cares for the young.  The mother will lay between five to 20 dark blue eggs (days apart).  The father incubates them, which means he keeps them warm by sitting on them.  He will sit on them for 55 days without eating or drinking very much.  An emu nest can be up to 1.5m in diameter!

Because the emu can’t fly to get away from predators he uses a few other tactics.  If a predator, like a dingo, tries to attack him, he will run in zigzags to get away.  Otherwise, he can use his strong legs to give a powerful kick.

Some farms will farm emus because they provide us with leather, meat, feathers and oil.  Even their eggs are used for carving and craftwork.