Emu

The Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is an Australian bird that can be identified most reliably by combining shape, plumage, habitat and behaviour. Australia’s largest native bird: very tall, flightless, shaggy brown-grey plumage, long powerful legs, small wings and a long bluish neck. Adults are typically about 150–190 cm long, although sex, age and posture can affect how large an individual appears in the field.

How to identify a Emu

Australia’s largest native bird: very tall, flightless, shaggy brown-grey plumage, long powerful legs, small wings and a long bluish neck. Start with the overall silhouette before focusing on colour. Check the bill, legs, tail, wing shape and any bold head or body pattern. Distance, shade and strong Australian sunlight can change the apparent colour of feathers, so several matching features are more useful than a single mark.

Emus travel on foot, often singly or in loose groups, and can cover long distances in response to rain and food. They run rapidly when alarmed and are strong swimmers. Behaviour can be one of the quickest ways to confirm an identification because closely related birds often feed, fly or perch differently even when their plumage looks similar.

Where is the Emu found in Australia?

Widespread across mainland Australia, absent from the wettest tropical forests and most densely settled districts.

Typical habitat includes open woodland, grassland, shrubland, pastoral country and semi-arid landscapes with access to food and water. Distribution can shift with rainfall, drought, breeding conditions, migration and local food supply, so an apparently unusual sighting should be checked against season as well as location.

What does the Emu eat?

Fruit, seeds, flowers, fresh plant growth and insects, with diet changing strongly with season and rainfall. Watching exactly how a bird feeds can provide another useful clue. Note whether it walks, probes, dives, sweeps its bill, hunts from a perch or catches food in flight. Feeding technique often separates species that share the same habitat.

Wild birds do not need processed human food. Protecting natural habitat, clean water and native food plants is usually a better way to support them than regular feeding.

Behaviour and calls

Emus travel on foot, often singly or in loose groups, and can cover long distances in response to rain and food. They run rapidly when alarmed and are strong swimmers.

Deep booming and drumming notes, especially from females, plus grunts and softer contact sounds. Voice is particularly useful when vegetation, distance or low light makes visual identification difficult. Try to notice the rhythm and tone as well as a written approximation of the sound.

Nesting and breeding

The male incubates a clutch of large dark green eggs on the ground and then leads and protects the striped chicks after hatching. Breeding timing varies around Australia according to latitude, rainfall and local conditions. If you find a nest or dependent young, observe from a respectful distance and avoid changing the adults’ normal approach route.

Similar birds

Southern Cassowary is heavier-bodied, darker, has a casque and brightly coloured bare neck; it is restricted to tropical north-eastern Queensland.

When two species remain difficult to separate, compare photographs against multiple field marks rather than choosing on colour alone. Geographic range, voice and habitat may be more decisive than one feather pattern.

Quick identification tip

Remember three things: its approximate size is 150–190 cm; its key visual clue is australia’s largest native bird: very tall, flightless, shaggy brown-grey plumage, long powerful legs, small wings and a long bluish neck.; and a typical setting is open woodland, grassland, shrubland, pastoral country and semi-arid landscapes with access to food and water. Matching all three gives a much stronger identification than any one clue by itself.

Best places and times to look

For a better chance of finding a Emu, start with habitat rather than colour alone. In Australia this species is associated with open woodland, grassland, shrubland, pastoral country and semi-arid landscapes with access to food and water. Early morning and late afternoon can be productive because birds are often feeding, moving between roosts and foraging areas, or calling more frequently. At wetlands, scan edges and exposed perches before walking closer; in open country, use binoculars to check distant birds before they move.

Sources and further reading

For additional Australian bird information and conservation guidance, see BirdLife Australia bird profiles and the Australian Museum bird collection. Image licensing and creator information for this page is recorded from the linked Wikimedia Commons file page.