Common Emu

With tall, muscular legs, the Common Emu is the second largest bird in the world after the Ostrich. It has a long bluish-grey neck and no feathers in the upper area. There is sexual dimorphism in this species: females are heavier and have a stronger blue facial skin than males. The plumage is greyish and brownish and protects against solar radiation.

Like other ratites, Common Emu can't fly. However, it runs with great speed, reaching up to 50 km/h. They are sedentary birds that live in small groups. Mating pairs remain together until they lay the eggs, which are green in colour. It is the males who are responsible for incubating the eggs for around 56 days and, after hatching, the young remain with the parent for around four months. Thanks to its fat reserves, the male does not eat, drink or defecate during the eight-week incubation period.

When they feel threatened, Common Emus try to kick the predator to keep it away.
This species likes to live in savannas, wooded forests and open fields.

Emus eat seeds and leaves of herbaceous plants, roots, tubers, bulbs, shoots, berries and fruits. Their diet also includes insects and small vertebrates that they occasionally find.

The total population of Common Emus in the wild is stable. There are no records of conflicts between humans and this species, which is only susceptible to habitat loss. This species is endemic to Australia, where there are farms where Emus are raised for their meat and eggs.