About Emu Bird

About Emu
History The genus and species names of the emu are Dromaius novaehollandiae. Emu-birds are members of the ratite family along with ostrich, rhea, cassowary and kiwi. Emu are prehistoric birds that originated about 80 million years ago in Australia. Flightless, but they have strong legs and run very fast and can run up to speeds of 30 miles per hour (50 kilometers per hour). Emus are also very good swimmers. Wings are only 1/10th the length of its body Brown in color; They have 3 toes; the underside of each toe is flattened with a broad pad. Two main calls: a gutteral grunt and a throbbing drum. Emu's were imported into the United States from the 1930's through the late 1950's as exotic zoo stock. Today, the exportation of live birds and eggs is prohibited from Australia Exports of processed emu products from Australia, however, are on the rise as emu begins to gain acceptance worldwide for its unique qualities Emus are raised throughout the world and have adapted to a variety of conditions ranging from the cold winters to the extreme heat Normally Emu's lives up to 40 years. Bill is broad and soft, adapted for browsing and grazing. In nature, the emu's nest is a shallow hole by a bush. The nest is lined with leaves, grass, and bark.

Taxonomy
In traditional Linnaean taxonomy, the seven major taxonomic groupings are Kingdom, Phylum or Division, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. Each may have several super- or sub-groupings. Alpha taxonomy, however, focuses more on the species end of that spectrum (e.g., classifying organisms [specimens] into species groups, and classifying those into genera, rather than determining the higher-level relationships between families or orders). Kingdom : Animalia Phylum : Chordata Subphylum : Vertebrata Class : Aves Order : Struthioniformes Family : Casuariidae Genus : Dromaius Species : D. novaehollandiae

Anatomy
Emu grow to be between 5 and 6 fee tall and weighing between 45 to 60 kgs. This makes the emu the size of most humans as adults. Habitat The emu-bird lives in the grassy plains and dry open farms. Diet: Fruits, flowers, insects, seeds and green vegetation; love caterpillars. Ingest large stones into gizzard to aid grinding process. Emus requires 6-10 litres good water daily Emus requires 3 times food per day like humenbeings.
Emu Birds – Reproduction

• Emu-birds become sexually mature at 2-3 years of age.
• Female Emu or hen begins laying eggs, male Emu are attending incubuation.
• The emu egg varies in size and color. It is usually dark green, averaging 5 inches long and weighing approximately 600 grams.
• Artificial incubation is often conducted at a temperature of approximately 97.5 degrees Fahrenheit and a relative humidity that varies according to the climate. Average incubation time ranges from 48 to 52 days.
• Emu can be productive for as long as 20 years, laying between 20 to 30 eggs in a season The female lays from 4 to 20 greenish-brown eggs in a clutch or group of eggs laid at one time. The male builds a nest on his territory and the female joins him when everything is ready. Breed-in period is from October through March.
• When the male starts incubating the eggs, the female moves away and she pairs with other males.
• However, a few may stay with the male to defend him. The mature Emu-bird females lay an egg every 3-5 days.
• The eggs are dark green to blend with the grass.
• The male waits until the female lays at least 9 eggs and then he starts incubating them by sitting on the nest.
• He incubates them for 52-56 days and doesn't eat or drink during this time.
• When the eggs hatch, he eats the eggshells to get his digestive system going and also to hide the evidence of the chicks from the numerous predators.
• When the chicks hatch, the males drive the females away and attack anybody who approaches the chicks.
• He takes care of the brood for 5-7 months and then the bond breaks down.
• Chicks of Emus are cream colored with tan and brown stripes allowing them to hide in the grass.
• As they become 6 months old, they acquire a chocolate brown color. Only at the age of 2 years do the young Emu-birds become colored like adults.
• Emu can be productive for as long as 20 years, laying between 20 to 50 eggs in a season.

Additional Emu Facts:

• Emus provide a red meat, similar in taste and appearance to very lean beef, that is lower in cholesterol but higher in protein than beef.
• About 18-22 kgs of meat can be obtained from a mature bird.
• Emu provides unique penetrating oil
• Emu's unhatched Eggs used for craft works
• Emu's Bone, Feather, Skin, Nail are used many purposes