Emu

• It is the second tallest bird in the world after the ostrich.
• The male incubates the eggs alone, neither eating, drinking nor defecating throughout.
• During the 'Emu War' of 1932, the Australian army turned machine guns on flocks that were wrecking crops.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - non-pneumatised bony skeleton, flightless bird (ratite)

Habitat & environment

A wide range of Australian habitats: savannah, scrub, open woodland and semi-desert, avoiding dense forest and humid coasts

Birth weight

No precise figure for hatching weight; it multiplies its body weight some 80 times in its first 18 months

Size at birth

Precocial, able to walk within its first day, with the characteristic striped down

Sexual maturity

2-3 years

Gestation / incubation

56-60 days, incubated by the male alone, who neither eats, drinks nor defecates throughout

Litter / clutch size

5 to 15 dark green eggs per clutch

Lifespan in captivity

Documented record of up to 35 years in captivity

Sources consulted: ScienceDirect Topics; ResearchGate (emu biology review); Encyclopedia.com; Animal Diversity Web; A-Z Animals; Animalia.bio; Wildlife Explained; PMC (pelvic limb musculature study)