Tall and majestic, the emu belongs to a group of flightless running birds known as ratites, the most primitive of the modern bird families. The ratite family includes the kiwi, ostrich, cassowary, and rhea, all birds found only in the Southern Hemisphere. The emu is the second-largest living bird in the world (the ostrich is the largest).

The emu is the second largest living bird and the largest bird found in Australia. Its height averages 5.7 feet (1.75 meters). Males weigh 110 to 121 pounds (50 to 55 kilograms), and females weigh about 11 pounds (5 kilograms) more than males.

Learn more about the Emu, including behavior, population status, average size, diet, conservation efforts, and more. Contact us with any questions!

The emu is the largest bird native to Australia. If threatened, they rattle their stiff tail feathers or use powerful kicks to deter predators. Emus are the only bird with calf muscles.

Emus are large flightless birds. They have large, feathered bodies, strong legs, and a long and sparsely feathered neck. They are the second largest bird in the world, surpassed only by the ostrich. Emus do have small wings, but they are insufficient for flight. Emus and other ratites have a unique feather design.

The emu is a large, flightless bird with shaggy brown to grey-brown feathers; the shafts at the tips of its wing feathers are black; its head and neck are mostly bare and bluish-black in color. Emus have two sets of eyelids: one for blinking and the other to keep dust out.

At the Phoenix Zoo, our Emus enjoy a good soaking with the hose or sitting under the sprinklers or misters on a hot day. Occasionally, while getting sprayed by the hose, they will roll over on their side in the mud and kick their legs in the air! Flexible …

HABITAT: They inhabit woodlands, grasslands, and arid regions. DIET: Emus eat plants, nuts, seeds, insects, rodents, lizards, and even small birds. GENERAL: The Emu is the second largest bird in the world at 5 1/2 to 6 feet tall, where the tallest bird, …

Emus are sexually dimorphic (with two distinct gender forms) but not easily distinguished. Males are smaller than females. Both have dark gray-brown feathers and a whitish ruff at the base of their neck.

Emus are large, flightless birds native to Australia. Emus are diurnal forages and eat grasses and insects. Emus often live in pairs, but can occasionally be seen in large flocks. There are no significant threats to emus and their wild population remains stable.