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| + | ==Other names== |
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| − | {{Taxobox |
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| − | | name = Emu |
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| − | | fossil_range = {{fossil range|Paleocene|present}} [[Paleocene]] – present |
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| − | | status = LC |
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| − | | status_system = iucn3.1 |
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| − | | status_ref = <ref name="IUCN" /> |
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| − | | image = Emu.jpg |
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| − | | image_width = 250px |
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| − | | image_caption = Wild specimen in south-eastern Australia |
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| − | | regnum = [[Animal]]ia |
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| − | | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] |
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| − | | classis = [[bird|Aves]] |
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| − | | ordo = [[Struthioniformes]] <br/>(or Casuariiformes) |
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| − | | familia = [[Casuariidae]] |
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| − | | genus = ''[[Dromaius]]'' |
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| − | | species = '''''D. novaehollandiae''''' |
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| − | | binomial = ''Dromaius novaehollandiae'' |
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| − | | binomial_authority = ([[John Latham (ornithologist)|Latham]], 1790)<ref name="Davies">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Davies |first=S.J.J.F.|editor=Hutchins, Michael |encyclopedia=Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia |title=Emus |edition=2 |year=2003 |publisher=Gale Group |volume=8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins |location=Farmington Hills, MI|isbn=0-7876-5784-0 |pages= 83–87}}</ref> |
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| − | | subdivision_ranks = [[Subspecies]] |
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| − | | subdivision = ''D. novaehollandiae novaehollandiae'' <small>([[John Latham (ornithologist)|Latham]], 1790)<ref name="tax" /></small><br /> |
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| − | ''D. novaehollandiae woodwardi'' <small>([[Gregory Mathews|Mathews]], 1912) (disputed)<ref name=ag>{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-resources/fauna/afd/taxa/Dromaius_novaehollandiae/names |title=Names List for Dromaius novaehollandiae (Latham, 1790) |publisher=Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts|date= |accessdate=3 November 2008}}</ref></small><br> |
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| − | ''D. novaehollandiae rothschildi'' <small>([[Gregory Mathews|Mathews]], 1912) (disputed),<ref name="ag"/></small><br> |
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| − | †''[[D. novaehollandiae diemenensis]]'' <small>([[Le Souef]], 1907)<ref name="tax">{{cite web| url= http://sn2000.taxonomy.nl/Main/Index/Genus/..%5C..%5CClassification%5C51276.htm| title=Systema Naturae 2000 / Classification, Dromaius novaehollandiae | accessdate=4 February 2009 | last=Brands | first=Sheila | authorlink= | date=14 August 2008 | work=Project: The Taxonomicon }}</ref></small><br> |
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| − | †''[[D. novaehollandiae ater]]'' <small>([[Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot|Vieillot]], 1817)<ref name="Davies">Davies S. J. J. F. (2003)</ref></small> |
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| − | | synonyms = '''''Dromiceius novaehollandiae''''' |
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| − | | range_map = Dromaius novaehollandiae map distribution 2.svg |
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| − | | range_map_width = |
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| − | | range_map_caption = The Emu inhabits the areas shown in pink. |
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| − | }} |
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| − | The '''Emu'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emu |work=Merriam-Webster Online |title=Emu |accessdate=16 February 2011}}</ref> |
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| − | ''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the largest [[bird]] native to [[Australia]] and the only [[Extant taxon|extant]] member of the [[genus]] ''[[Dromaius]]''. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its [[ratite]] relative, the [[ostrich]]. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia. The Emu is common over most of mainland Australia, although it avoids heavily populated areas, dense forest, and arid areas.<ref name="Davies2" /> |
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| − | The soft-feathered, brown, [[flightless bird]]s reach up to {{convert|2|m|ft}} in height. They have long thin necks and legs. Emus can travel great distances at a fast, economical trot and, if necessary, can sprint at 50 km/h (31 mph) for some distance at a time. Their long legs allow them to take strides of up to {{convert|275|cm|ft}}<ref name = "Davies2">{{cite journal |author=Davies, S. J. J. F. |year=1963 |title= Emus |journal=Australian Natural History |volume=14 |pages=225–229}}</ref> They are opportunistically nomadic and may travel long distances to find food; they feed on a variety of plants and insects, but have been known to go for weeks without food. Emus ingest stones, glass shards and bits of metal to grind food in the digestive system. They drink infrequently, but take in copious fluids when the opportunity arises. Emus will sit in water and are also able to swim. They are curious birds who are known to follow and watch other animals and humans. Emus do not sleep continuously at night but in several short stints sitting down. |
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| − | Emus use their strongly clawed feet as a defence mechanism. Their legs are among the strongest of any animals, allowing them to rip metal wire fences. They are endowed with good eyesight and hearing, which allows them to detect predators in the vicinity. The plumage varies regionally, matching the surrounding environment and improving its camouflage. The feather structure prevents heat from flowing into the skin, permitting Emus to be active during the midday heat. They can tolerate a wide range of temperatures and [[thermoregulation|thermoregulate]] effectively. Males and females are hard to distinguish visually, but can be differentiated by the types of loud sounds they emit by manipulating an inflatable neck sac. Emus breed in May and June and are not monogamous; fighting among females for a mate is common. Females can mate several times and lay several batches of eggs in one season. The animals put on weight before the breeding season, and the male does most of the incubation, losing significant weight during this time as he does not eat. The eggs hatch after around eight weeks, and the young are nurtured by their fathers. They reach full size after around six months, but can remain with their family until the next breeding season half a year later. Emus can live between 10 and 20 years in the wild and are predated by [[dingo]]s, eagles and hawks. They can jump and kick to avoid dingos, but against eagles and hawks, they can only run and swerve. |
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| − | The [[Tasmanian Emu]] and [[King Island Emu]] subspecies that previously inhabited [[Tasmania]] and [[King Island (Tasmania)|King Island]] became extinct after the [[History of Australia (1788–1850)|European settlement of Australia]] in 1788; and the distribution of the mainland subspecies has been influenced by human activities. Once common on the east coast, Emu are now uncommon; by contrast, the development of agriculture and the provision of water for stock in the interior of the continent have increased the range of the Emu in arid regions, and it is of [[Least Concern]] for conservation. They were a food and fuel source for indigenous Australians and early European settlers. Emus are farmed for their meat, [[Emu oil|oil]], and leather. Emu is a lean meat and while it is often claimed by marketers that the oil has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects, this has not been scientifically verified in humans. The Emu is an important cultural icon of Australia. It appears on the [[coat of arms of Australia|coat of arms]], various coins, features prominently in [[Indigenous Australian]] mythology, and hundreds of places are named after the bird. |
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| − | ==Taxonomy== |
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| − | [[File:Emu skeleton.jpg|thumb|left|Mounted Emu skeleton]] |
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| − | There are reports the Emu was first sighted by European explorers in 1696 when they made a brief visit to the coast of Western Australia. It was thought to have been spotted on the east coast of Australia before 1788 when the first European settlement occurred.<ref name=e5>Eastman, p. 5.</ref> It was first described under the name of the New Holland Cassowary in [[Arthur Phillip|Arthur Phillip's]] ''Voyage to Botany Bay'', published in 1789.<ref name = "Gould">{{cite book |author=Gould, John |year=1865 |title=Handbook to the Birds of Australia |volume=2 |url=http://www.archive.org/details/handbooktobirdso02gou|location=London}}</ref> The species was named by ornithologist [[John Latham (ornithologist)|John Latham]] on a specimen from the [[Sydney]], [[Australia]] area, which was referred to as [[New Holland (Australia)|New Holland]] at the time.<ref name="Davies"/> He collaborated on Phillip's book and provided the first descriptions of and names for many Australian bird species; its name is Latin for "fast-footed [[New Holland (Australia)|New Hollander]]".<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Gotch |first1=A. F. |title=Latin Names Explained. A Guide to the Scientific Classifications of Reptiles, Birds & Mammals|year= 1995 |origyear=1979 |publisher=Facts on File |location=London|isbn=0-8160-3377-3|page=179|chapter=16}}</ref> The [[etymology]] of the common name Emu is uncertain, but is thought to have come from an Arabic word for large bird that was later used by Portuguese explorers to describe the related [[Cassowary]] in Australia and [[New Guinea]].<ref name = "AM" /> Another theory is that it comes from the word "ema", which is used in Portuguese to denote a large bird akin to an ostrich or crane.<ref name=e5/> In Victoria, some terms for the Emu were ''Barrimal'' in the [[Dja Dja Wurrung]] language, ''myoure'' in [[Gunai]], and ''courn'' in [[Jardwadjali]].<ref name="Wesson 2002">{{Cite book| author = Wesson, Sue C. | year = 2001 | title = Aboriginal flora and fauna names of Victoria: As extracted from early surveyors' reports | location = Melbourne | publisher = Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages | url = http://www.vaclang.org.au/admin/file/content9/c7/ff.pdf |format=PDF| accessdate = 3 November 2008}}</ref> It was known as ''murawung'' or ''birabayin'' to the local [[Eora]] and [[Darug people|Darug]] inhabitants of the Sydney basin.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Troy, Jakelin|year=1993|title=The Sydney language|publisher=Jakelin Troy| location=Canberra|isbn=0-646-11015-2|page=54}}</ref> |
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| − | In his original 1816 description of the Emu, [[Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot|Vieillot]] used two [[genus|generic]] names; first ''Dromiceius'', then ''Dromaius'' a few pages later. It has been a point of contention ever since which is correct; the latter is more correctly formed, but the convention in [[Alpha taxonomy|taxonomy]] is that the first name given stands, unless it is clearly a [[typographical error]].<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/Auk/v044n04/p0592-p0593.pdf |format=PDF|title=Generic name of the Emu|page=59293|author=Alexander, W.B.|journal=Auk|volume=44|year=1927| accessdate = 17 January 2011}}</ref> Most modern publications, including those of the Australian government,<ref name="ag"/> use ''Dromaius'', with ''Dromiceius'' mentioned as an alternative spelling.<ref name=ag/> |
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| − | ===Classification=== |
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| − | Although the Emu was long classified with its closest relatives, the [[cassowary|cassowaries]], in the family [[Casuariidae]], part of the [[ratite]] order [[ratite|Struthioniformes]], an alternate classification has been recently adopted which splits the Casuariidae into their own order, Casuariformes.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Tudge, Colin|year=2009|title=The Bird: A Natural History of Who Birds Are, Where They Came From, and How They Live|page=116|publisher=Random House Digital, Inc|isbn=0-307-34204-2}}</ref> Two different ''[[Dromaius]]'' species were common in Australia before European settlement, and one additional species is known from fossil remains. The small emus—''[[Kangaroo Island Emu|D. baudinianus]]'' and ''[[King Island Emu|D. n. ater]]''—both became [[extinction|extinct]] shortly after the arrival of Europeans.<ref name=Heupink>{{cite journal|author=Heupink, Tim H.; Huynen, Leon; Lambert, David M.| year=2011|title=Ancient DNA Suggests Dwarf and ‘Giant’ Emu Are Conspecific|journal=PLoS ONE|volume=6|issue=4 |page= e18728| doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0018728|pmid=21494561|pmc=3073985}}</ref> ''D. novaehollandiae diemenensis'', a subspecies known as the [[Tasmanian Emu]], became extinct around 1865. However, the mainland sub-species of ''D. novaehollandiae'', remain common. Their population size vary from decade to decade, largely dependent on rainfall; current estimates range from 625,000 to 725,000 birds, with 100,000–200,000 in [[Western Australia]] and the remainder mostly in [[New South Wales]] and [[Queensland]].<ref name = "AM">{{cite web|author=Boles, Walter |publisher=Australian Museum |url=http://australianmuseum.net.au/Emu/ |title=Emu |date=6 April 2010 |accessdate=21 September 2010}}</ref> Emus were introduced to [[Maria Island]] off Tasmania and [[Kangaroo Island]] near South Australia during the 20th century. While the Maria Island population became extinct in the mid 1990s, the Kangaroo Island birds have established a breeding population. |
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| − | [[File:Emu size.png|thumb|upright|Size comparison between a human, the mainland Emu, and the extinct King Island sub-species]] |
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| − | There are three extant [[subspecies]] in Australia<ref name=ag/>: |
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| − | * In the southeast, ''D. novaehollandiae novaehollandiae'', with its whitish ruff when breeding; |
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| − | * In the north, ''D. novaehollandiae woodwardi'', slender and paler; and |
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| − | * In the southwest, ''D. novaehollandiae rothschildi'', darker, with no ruff during breeding. |
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| − | Examination of the King island Emu's DNA shows it to be closely related to the mainland Emu and hence best treated as a subspecies.<ref name=Heupink/> |
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==Description== |
==Description== |
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| + | ===Similar species=== |
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| − | Emus are large birds. The largest can reach up to {{convert|150|to(-)|190|cm|in}} in height, {{convert|1|to(-)|1.3|m|ft}} at the shoulder. Emus weigh between {{convert|18|and|55|kg|lb|0}}.<ref>{{cite web|author=Ivory, Alicia |url=http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Dromaius_novaehollandiae.html |title=Dromaius novaehollandiae: Information |publisher=University of Michigan |accessdate=3 November 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|year=2005 |url=http://www.poulvet.com/poultry/articles/emu_rearing.php |title=Commercial Emu and Ostrich rearing |publisher=Poulvet|author=Reddy, A. Rajashekher |accessdate=3 November 2008}}</ref><ref>http://animals.jrank.org/pages/349/Tinamous-Ratites-Struthioniformes-PHYSICAL-CHARACTERISTICS.html</ref> Females are usually larger than males by a small amount, but are substantially wider across the rump.<ref name=e6/> |
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| + | ==Behaviour== |
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| − | [[File:Dromaius novaehollandiae -zoo -two feet.jpg|thumb|left|Emus have three toes on each foot in a [[Dactyly#In birds|tridactyl]] arrangement, which is an adaptation for running and is seen in other birds, such as [[bustard]]s and [[quail]]s. The [[Ostrich]] has two toes on each foot.]] |
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| − | They have small [[Vestigiality|vestigial]] wings that are around {{convert|20|cm|in}} long and have a small claw at the tip of this wing. The Emu flaps its wings when it is running and it is believed that they stabilise the bird when it is moving.<ref name=e5/> It has a long neck and legs.<ref name=e6>Eastman, p. 6.</ref> Their ability to run at high speeds, 48 km/h (30 mph),<ref name="Davies" /> is due to their highly specialised pelvic limb musculature. Their feet have only three toes and a similarly reduced number of bones and associated foot muscles; they are the only birds with [[gastrocnemius muscle]]s in the back of the lower legs. The pelvic limb muscles of emus have a similar contribution to total body mass as the flight muscles of flying birds.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1002/(SICI)1097-4687(199810)238:1<23::AID-JMOR2>3.0.CO;2-O |author=Patak, A. E.; Baldwin, J. |year=1998 |title=Pelvic limb musculature in the Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae (Aves : Struthioniformes: Dromaiidae): Adaptations to high-speed running |journal=Journal of Morphology |volume=238 |issue=1 |pages=23–37 |pmid=9768501}}</ref> When walking, the Emu takes steps of around {{convert|100|cm|ft}}, but at full gallop, a stride can be as long as {{convert|275|cm|ft}}.<ref name=e9/> Its legs are devoid of feathers and underneath its feet are thick, cushioned pads.<ref name=e9/> Like the Cassowary, the Emu has sharp claws on its toes which are its major defensive attribute. This is used in combat to inflict wounds on opponents by kicking.<ref name=e7>Eastman, p. 7.</ref> The toe and claw are a total of {{convert|15|cm|in}}.<ref name=e9>Eastman, p. 9.</ref> They have a soft bill, adapted for grazing.<ref name = "Davies"/> |
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| − | The Emu has good eyesight and hearing, which allows it to detect nearby threats. Its legs are among the strongest of any animals, powerful enough to tear down metal wire fences.<ref name=e9/> |
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| − | The neck of the Emu is pale blue and shows through its sparse feathers.<ref name="Davies" /> They have brown to grey-brown plumage of shaggy appearance; the shafts and the tips of the [[feather]]s are black. Solar radiation is absorbed by the tips, and the loose-packed inner [[plumage]] insulates the skin. The resultant heat is prevented from flowing to the skin by the insulation provided by the coat,<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/0306-4565(94)00073-R |author=Maloney, S. K.; Dawson, T. J. |year=1995 |title=The heat load from solar radiation on a large, diurnally active bird, the Emu (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') |journal=Journal of Thermal Biology |volume=20 |pages=381–87 |issue=5}}</ref> allowing the bird to be active during the heat of the day.<ref>Eastman, pp. 5–6.</ref> A unique feature of the Emu feather is its double rachis emerging from a single shaft. Both of the rachis have the same length, and the texture is variable; the near the quill it is rather furry, but the external ends resemble grass.<ref name=e5/> The sexes are similar in appearance,<ref name=e23>Eastman, p. 23.</ref> although the male's penis can become visible when it defecates.<ref name=cc366>Coddington and Cockburn, p. 366.</ref> The plumage varies in colour due to environmental factors, giving the bird a natural camouflage. Feathers of Emus in more arid area with red soil have a similarly tinted plumage but are darker in animals residing in damp conditions.<ref name=e6/> |
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| − | [[File:Dromaius novaehollandiae -Australia -head-8a.jpg|thumb|Head and upper neck]] |
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| − | The eyes of an Emu are protected by nictitating membranes. These are translucent, secondary eyelids that move from the end of the eye closest to the beak to cover the other side. This is used by the Emu as a protective visor to protect its eyes from dust that is prevalent in windy and arid deserts.<ref name=e6/> The Emu also has a tracheal pouch, which becomes more prominent during the mating season. It is often used during courting, and it has speculated that it is used for communication on a day-to-day basis.<ref name=e6/> The pouch is more than {{convert|30|cm|in}}, is spacious and the wall in very thin. Its opening's width is only {{convert|8|cm|in}}. The quantity of air that goes through the pouch, as determined by the Emu deciding to open or close it, affects the pitch of an Emu's call. Females typically cry more loudly than males.<ref name=e6/> |
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| − | On very hot days, emus pant to [[Thermoregulation|maintain their body temperature]], their lungs work as [[evaporation|evaporative]] coolers and, unlike some other species, the resulting low levels of [[carbon dioxide]] in the blood do not appear to cause [[alkalosis]].<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1007/BF00714584|author=Maloney, S. K.; Dawson, T. J. |year=1994 |title= Thermoregulation in a large bird, the Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) |journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. B, Biochemical Systemic and Environmental Physiology |volume=164 |pages=464–472|issue=6}}</ref> For normal breathing in cooler weather, they have large, multifolded nasal passages. Cool air warms as it passes through into the lungs, extracting heat from the nasal region. On exhalation, the Emu's cold nasal [[nasal concha|turbinates]] condense moisture back out of the air and absorb it for reuse.<ref>{{cite journal |author=Maloney, S. K.; Dawson, T. J. |year=1998 |title=Ventilatory accommodation of oxygen demand and respiratory water loss in a large bird, the Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), and a re-examination of ventilatory allometry for birds |journal=Physiological Zoology |volume=71 |issue=6 |pages=712–719 |pmid=9798259}}</ref> As with other ratites, the Emu has great homeothermic ability, and can maintain this status from -5 to 45 degrees.<ref name=m1293>Maloney, p. 1293.</ref> The thermoneutral zone of Emus lies between 10–15 degrees and 30 degrees.<ref name=m1295>Maloney, p. 1295.</ref> |
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| − | As with other ratites, the Emu has a relatively low rate of metabolism compared to other types of birds, but the rate depends on activity, especially due to resulting changes to thermodynamics. At -5 degrees, the metabolism rate of an Emu while sitting down is around 60% of the value for one that is standing, as the lack of feathers under its stomach leads to a higher rate of heat loss when it is standing up and exposing the underbelly.<ref name=m1295/> |
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| − | [[File:Emu vocalization.ogv|thumb|thumbtime=00:02|left|Grunting and hissing Emu, note the inflating neck]] |
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| − | Their calls consist of loud booming, drumming, and grunting sounds that can be heard up to {{convert|2|km|mi}} away. The booming sound is created in an inflatable neck sac that is {{convert|30|cm|in|abbr=on}} long and thin-walled.<ref name="Davies" /><ref name="AM" /> The different sounds produced can be used to distinguish males and females. The loud booming caused by inflation of the cervical sac corresponds to females, while loud grunts are limited to male Emus.<ref name=cc366/> |
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| − | ==Ecology and behaviour== |
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| − | [[File:Emus bathing Feb09.jpg|thumb|250px|Emus bathing on a very hot summer day in a shallow dam]] |
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| − | Emus live in most habitats across Australia, although they are most common in areas of [[sclerophyll]] forest and [[savanna]] woodland, and least common in populated and very arid areas, except during wet periods.<ref name="Davies" /> Emus predominately travel in pairs,<ref name="Davies" /> and while they can form enormous flocks, this is an atypical social behaviour that arises from the common need to move towards food sources. Emus have been shown to travel long distances to reach abundant feeding areas. In [[Western Australia]], Emu movements follow a distinct seasonal pattern—north in summer and south in winter. On the east coast their wanderings do not appear to follow a pattern.<ref name = "Congress" /> Emus are also able to swim when necessary, although they rarely do so unless the area is flooded or they need to cross a river.<ref name=e9/> |
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| − | They are also known to be inquisitive animals, and are known to approach humans if they see movement of a limb or a piece of clothing. They may follow and observe humans in the wild. Sometimes they poke other animals and then run away after drawing a reaction, as though they are playing a game.<ref name=e15/> An Emu spends much of its time preening its plumage with its beak.<ref name=e10>Eastman, p. 10.</ref> |
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| − | Emus sleep during the night, and begin to settle down at sunset, although it does not sleep continuously throughout the night. It can awake and arise up to eight times per night in order to feed or defecate. Before going into a deep sleep, the Emu squats on its tarsus and begins to enter a drowsy state. However, it is alert enough to react to visual or aural stimuli and return to an awakened state. During this time, the neck descends closer to the body and the eyelids begin to lower.<ref name=im/> If there are no aural or visual disturbances, it will go into a deep form of sleep after 20 minutes. During this time the body is lowered until it is touching the ground and its legs are folded. The feathers direct any rain downwards along the mound-like body into the ground, and it has been surmised that the sleeping position is a type of camouflage meant to mimic a small hill.<ref name=im/> The neck is brought down very low and the beak turned down so that the whole neck becomes S-shaped and folding onto itself.<ref name=im>{{Cite journal|doi=10.1071/MU960193|journal=Emu |issue=3 |year=1960 |volume=60 |pages= 193–195|title=The Sleep of the Emu |author=Immelmann, K.}}</ref> An Emu will typically awake from the deep sleep one every 90–120 minutes and stand in a tarsal position to eat or defecate. This lasts for 10–20 minutes and the cycle is repeated 4–6 times during most nights.<ref name=im/> Overall, an Emu sleeps for around seven hours every day. Young Emus are known to sleep with their neck flat and stretching forward along the ground surface.<ref name=im/> |
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===Diet=== |
===Diet=== |
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| − | [[File:Emu feeding on grass.ogg|thumb|thumbtime=00:43|An emu foraging in grass near a dam in Victoria, Australia]] |
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| + | ===Reproduction=== |
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| − | Emus forage in a [[diurnality|diurnal]] pattern. They eat a variety of native and introduced plant species; the type of plants eaten depends on seasonal availability. They also eat insects, including [[grasshopper]]s and [[Cricket (insect)|cricket]]s, [[Coccinellidae|lady birds]], soldier and saltbush caterpillars, [[Bogong moth|Bogong]] and [[Heliothis|cotton-boll]] moth larvae and ants.<ref>{{cite book |author=Barker, R. D.; Vertjens, W. J. M. |title=The Food of Australian Birds 1 Non-Passerines |publisher= CSIRO Australia |isbn=0-643-05007-8}}</ref> This forms a large part of its protein requirements and intake.<ref name=e44/> In Western Australia, food preferences have been observed in travelling Emus: they eat seeds from ''[[Acacia aneura]]'' until it rains, after which they eat fresh grass shoots and caterpillars; in winter they feed on the leaves and pods of ''[[Senna obtusifolia|Cassia]]''{{Verify source|date=December 2007}}<!-- might be genus Senna today, in any case the link is wrong -->; in spring, they feed on grasshoppers and the fruit of ''[[Santalum acuminatum]]'': a sort of [[quandong]].<ref name = "Davies" /><ref name="Powell">{{Cite book|title=Leaf and Branch|author=Powell, Robert |publisher= Department of Conservation and Land Management |year=1990|page=197|quote=Quandong's fruits are an important food for the emu. ...major dispersers...|isbn=0-7309-3916-2}}</ref> They are also known to eat wheat crops,<ref name=e31>Eastman, p. 31.</ref> and any fruit or other crops that it can access, easily climbing over high fences if required.<ref name=e44/> Emus serve as an important agent for the dispersal of large viable seeds, which contributes to floral biodiversity.<ref name="Powell"/><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1071/MU99030|author=McGrath, R. J.; Bass, D. |year=1999 |title=Seed dispersal by Emus on the New South Wales north-east coast |journal=[[Emu (journal)|Emu]] |volume=99 |pages=248–252|issue=4}}</ref> One undesirable effect of this occurred in Queensland in the 1930s and 1940s when Emus ate cactus in the outback there. They defecated the seeds in various places as they moved around, spreading the unwanted plant. This led to constant hunting campaigns to stop the cactus from being spread.<ref name=e44>Eastman, p. 44.</ref> |
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| + | ==Distribution/habitat== |
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| − | Emus also require pebbles and stones to assist in the digestion of the plant material. Individual stones may weigh {{convert|45|g|oz|abbr=on|1}} and they may have as much as {{convert|745|g|lb|abbr=on}} in their [[gizzard]] at one time. They also eat charcoal, however scientists still have not ascertained why.<ref name="Davies" /> Captive Emus are also known to eat shards of glass, marbles, car keys, jewellery and nuts and bolts.<ref name=e44/> |
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| − | Emus drink at infrequent intervals, but ingest large amounts when they do so. They typically inspect the water body in groups for a period before kneeling down at the edge of the water and drinking.<ref name=e15>Eastman, p. 15.</ref> They are observed to prefer kneeling on solid earth while drinking, rather than in rocks or mud, presumably due to a fear of sinking.<ref name=e15/> They often drink continuously for 10 minutes, unless disturbed by danger, in which case they interrupt themselves to deal with the threat before resuming. Due to the arid environment, they often go one or two days without finding a source of water and drinking.<ref name=e15/> They typically drink once per day or night, but can do so several times daily if supply is abundant.<ref name=e15/> In the wild, they often share water sources with kangaroos, birds and wild camels and donkeys that were let loose by European settlers. Emus are suspicious of these other species and tend to wait in bushes and wait for other types of animals to leave; they choose to drink separately to the other animals.<ref name=e15/> If an Emu sense abnormal circumstances or a threat, it drinks while standing.<ref name=e15/> |
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| − | [[File:Emu Egg.JPG|thumb|left|Emu Egg]] |
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| − | Emus form breeding pairs during the summer months of December and January, and may remain together for about five months. During this time they wander around in an area a few miles in diameter. It is believed they guard or find territory during this time.<ref name=e23/> Both males and females increase in weight during this time and the female is slightly heavier at between 45 and 58 kg. This weight is lost during the incubation period, the males losing around 9 kg.<ref name=e23/> Mating occurs in the cooler months of May and June, and the exact timing is determined by the climate, as the birds nest during the coldest part of the year.<ref name=e23/> During the breeding season, males experience hormonal changes, including an increase in [[luteinizing hormone]] and [[testosterone]] levels, and their [[testicle]]s double in size.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1016/S0378-4320(98)00110-9 |author=Malecki, I. A. et al. |year=1998 |title=Endocrine and testicular changes in a short-day seasonally breeding bird, the Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), in southwestern Australia |journal=Animal Reproduction Sciences |volume=53 |issue=1–4 |pages=143–155 |pmid=9835373}}</ref> |
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| − | It is the females that court the males, and during the mating season, they become physically more attractive. The female's plumage darkens slightly and the small patches of bare, hairless skin just below the eyes and near the beaks turn turquoise-blue, although this is a subtle change.<ref name=e23/> The female strides around confidently, often circling the male, and pulls its neck back while puffing out her feathers and crying out a low, monosyllabic sound that has been compared to human drums.<ref name=e23/><ref name=cc367>Coddington and Cockburn, p. 367.</ref> This calling can occur when the males are not in view and more than {{convert|50|m|ft}} away and when the male's attention has been gained, the female can circle in a radius of 10–40 m.<ref name=cc367/><ref name=cc369/> As the female circles its prospective mate, it continues to look towards him by turning its neck, while keeping its rump facing him.<ref name=cc369/> During this time, the female's cervical air sac may remain inflated as it calls out.<ref name=cc369/> The passive male retains the same colour hair, although the bare patches of skin also turn a light blue.<ref name=e23/> The female has more black hairs on its head but gender differentiation can be difficult for humans.<ref name=e23/> If the male shows interest in the parading female, he will move closer; the female continues to tantalise its target by shuffling further away and continuing to circle him as before.<ref name=cc369/> |
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| − | [[File:Emu Gelege.jpg|thumb|Nest in a German animal-park]] |
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| − | Females are more aggressive than males during the courting period, often fighting one another for access to mates. Fights among females accounted for more than half of the violent incidents in one mating season study.<ref name=cc369>Coddington and Cockburn, p. 369.</ref> If a female tried to woo a male that already had a partner, the incumbent female will try and repel the competitor by walking towards her challenger and staring in a stern way. If the male showed interest in the second female by erecting his feathers and swaying from side to side, the incumbent female will attack the challenger, usually resulting in a backdown by the new female.<ref name=cc369/> Some female-female competitions can last up to five hours, especially when the target male is single and neither female has the advantage of incumbency. In these cases, the animals typically intensify their mating calls and displays, which increase in extravagance. This is often accompanied by chasing and kicking by the competing females.<ref name=cc369/> |
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| − | Males lose their appetite and construct a rough nest in a semi-sheltered hollow on the ground from bark, grass, sticks, and leaves.<ref name=Davies/> The nest is almost always a flat surface rather than a segment of a sphere, although in cold conditions the nest is taller, up to 7 cm tall, and more spherical to provide more insulation. When other material is lacking, it can also use spinifex grass bushes more than a metre across, despite the prickly nature.<ref name=e23/> The nest can be placed in open ground or near scrubs and rocks, although thick grass is usually present if the emu takes the former option. The nests are usually placed in an area where the emu has a clear view of the surrounds and can detect predators.<ref name=e24>Eastman, p. 24.</ref> |
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| − | If a male is interested, he will stretch his neck and erect his feathers and bend over and peck at the ground. He will then sidle up to the female, swaying his body and neck from side to side, and rubbing his breast against his partner's rump, usually without calling out. The female would accept by sitting down and raising her rump.<ref name=cc369/> |
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| − | The pair mates every day or two, and every second or third day the female lays one of an average of 11 (and as many as 20) very large, thick-shelled, dark-green eggs. The shell is around 1 mm thick although indigenous Australians say that northern eggs are thinner.<ref name=Davies/><ref name=e24/> The number of eggs varies with rainfall.<ref name="Davies"/> The eggs are on average {{convert|134|x|89|mm|in}} and weigh between {{convert|700|and|900|g|lb}},<ref name="Reader's Digest">{{cite book |title=[[Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds]] |publisher=Reader's Digest Services |isbn= 0-909486-63-8}}</ref> which is roughly equivalent to 10–12 chicken eggs in volume and weight. The first verified occurrence of genetically identical avian twins was demonstrated in the Emu.<ref>{{cite journal |doi=10.1111/j.1469-7998.1999.tb01010.x |author=Bassett, S. M. et al. |year=1999 |title=Genetically identical avian twins |journal=Journal of Zoology |volume=247 |pages=475–478 |issue=4}}</ref> The egg surface is granulated and pale green. During the incubation period, the egg turns dark green, although if the egg never hatches, it will turn white from the bleaching effect of the sun.<ref name=e25>Eastman, p. 25.</ref> |
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| − | [[File:Baby Emu.jpg|thumb|Emu chicks have longitudinal stripes that help to camouflage them]] |
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| − | The male becomes broody after his mate starts laying, and begins to [[avian incubation|incubate]] the eggs before the laying period is complete. From this time on, he does not eat, drink, or defecate, and stands only to turn the eggs, which he does about 10 times a day. Sometimes he will walk away at night; he chooses such a time as most predators of Emu eggs are not nocturnal.<ref name=e25/> Over eight weeks of incubation, he will lose a third of his weight and will survive only on stored body-fat and on any morning dew that he can reach from the nest. As with many other Australian birds, such as the [[Superb Fairy-wren]], infidelity is the norm for Emus, despite the initial pair-bond: once the male starts brooding, the female mates with other males and may lay in multiple clutches; thus, as many as half the chicks in a brood may be fathered by others, or by neither parent as Emus also exhibit [[Brood parasite|brood parasitism]].<ref>{{cite journal|author=Taylor, E. L. et al. |year=2000 |title=Genetic evidence for mixed parentage in nests of the Emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) |publisher=Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology |volume=47 |pages=359–364}}</ref> Some females stay and defend the nest until the chicks start hatching, but most leave the nesting area completely to nest again; in a good season, a female Emu may nest three times.<ref name = "Congress">{{cite book |author=Davies, S. J. J. F. |year=1976 |chapter=The natural history of the Emu in comparison with that of other ratites |title=Proceedings of the 16th international ornithological congress |editor=Firth, H. J.; Calaby, J. H. (eds.) |publisher=[[Australian Academy of Science]] |pages=109–120 |isbn=0-85847-038-1}}</ref> If the parents stay together during the incubation period, they will take turns standing guard over the eggs while the other drinks and feeds within earshot.<ref name=e26/> If it perceives a threat during this period, it will lie down on top of the nest and try to blend in with the similar-looking surrounds, and suddenly stand up and confront and scare the other party if it comes close.<ref name=e26>Eastman, p. 26.</ref> |
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| − | Incubation takes 56 days, and the male stops incubating the eggs shortly before they hatch.<ref name = "Congress" /> The male also increases the temperature of the nest during the eight-week period. Although the eggs are laid sequentially with days of separation, they tend to hatch within two days within one another, as the eggs that were laid later were subject to higher temperatures and developed more quickly.<ref name=m1299/> During the process, the precocial Emu chicks need to develop a capacity for thermoregulation. During incubation, the embryos are ectothermic but need to develop endothermic behaviour by the time it is hatched.<ref name=m1299>Maloney, p. 1299.</ref> |
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| − | [[File:Emu family.jpg|thumb|left|Emu with juveniles past their striped state]] |
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| − | Newly hatched chicks are active and can leave the nest within a few days. They stand about {{convert|12|cm|in|0}} tall, weigh {{convert|.5|kg|oz|abbr=on}},<ref name="Davies" /> and have distinctive brown and cream stripes for camouflage, which fade after three months or so. The male stays with the growing chicks for up to 7 months, defending them and teaching them how to find food.<ref name="Davies"/><ref name="Reader's Digest" /> Chicks grow very quickly and are full-grown in 5–6 months;<ref name="Davies"/> they may remain with their family group for another six months or so before they split up to breed in their second season. During their early life, the young Emus are defended by their father, who adopts a belligerent and standoffish stance towards other Emus, even including the mother. The father does to by ruffling his feathers, emitting sharp grunts, and kicking his legs to shoo off other animals. He can also bend his knees to shield his smaller children. At night, he envelops his young with his feathers.<ref name=e27>Eastman, p. 27.</ref> As the young Emus cannot travel far, the parents must choose an area with plentiful food in which to breed.<ref name=e31/> In the wild, Emus live between 10 to 20 years;<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Parks Victoria |url=http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/education/factfiles/16.htm |title=Emu |year=2006 |accessdate=21 September 2010}}</ref> captive birds can live longer than those in the wild. |
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| − | Emus are preyed upon by a few animals, including dingos, eagles and hawks. Foxes try and steal incubating eggs, while the other three also attack adults. Birds of prey and the dingo try to kill the Emu by attacking the head. The Emu tries to repel the dingo by jumping into the air and kicking or stamping the dingo on its way down. The Emu jumps as the dingo barely has a the capacity to jump high enough to threaten its neck, so a correctly timed leap to coincide with the dingo's lunge can keep its head and neck out of danger.<ref name=e29>Eastman, p. 29.</ref> [[Wedge-tailed eagle]]s and hawks attack Emus by swooping downwards rapidly and at high speed and aiming for the head and neck. In this case, the Emu's jumping technique as employed against the dingo is not useful. The birds try to target the Emu in open ground so that it cannot hide behind obstacles. Under such circumstances, the Emu can only run in a chaotic manner and change directions frequently to try and evade its attacker.<ref name=e29/> |
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| − | ==Relationship with humans== |
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| − | === Conservation status=== |
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| − | [[File:Emu caller.jpg|thumb|Aboriginal Emu caller, used to arouse the curiosity of Emus.]] |
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| − | Emus were used as a source of food by [[indigenous Australians]] and early European settlers. Aboriginal Australians used a variety of techniques to catch the bird, including spearing them while they drank at waterholes, poisoning waterholes, catching Emus in nets, and attracting Emus by imitating their calls or with a ball of feathers and rags dangled from a tree.<ref name = "Reader's Digest" /> The indigenous Australians used [[pituri]] or other poisonous plants to contaminate water supplies and were easily able to catch disoriented Emus that drank the water.<ref name=e63>Eastman, p. 63.</ref> They also sometimes disguised themselves using the skins of Emus they had previously killed.<ref name=e63/> Emus were also lured into capture in camouflaged pits using rags or imitation calls.<ref name=e63/> Aboriginal Australians did not kill the animals except to eat them, and frowned on peers who hunted the Emus but then left the meat unused.<ref name=e63/> They also used almost every part of the carcass for some purpose. Aside from the meat, the fat was harvested for oil used for polishing their weapons, and the bones and tendon were used as makeshift knives and tools, and for tying, respectively.<ref name=e63/> |
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| − | [[File:Tasmanian Emu.jpg|thumb|left|[[John Gerrard Keulemans]]'s restoration of the [[Tasmanian Emu]], one of two sub-species which were hunted out of existence]] |
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| − | Europeans killed Emus to provide food and to remove them if they interfered with farming or invaded settlements in search of water during drought. An extreme example of this was the [[Emu War]] in Western Australia in 1932, when Emus that flocked to Campion during a hot summer scared the town’s inhabitants and an unsuccessful attempt to drive them off was mounted,<ref name=e63/> with the army called in to dispatch them in the so-called 'war'. There were two phases, the second of which started on 12 November with mixed results. There have been two documented cases of humans being attacked by Emus.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10334173 |title=Attacked by an emu |page=8 |work=[[The Argus (Australia)|The Argus]] |date= 10 August 1904|accessdate=20 September 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8920003 |title=Victoria |page=2 |work=[[The Mercury (Hobart)|The Mercury]] |date=24 March 1873 |accessdate=20 September 2010 }}</ref> |
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| − | The early white settlers also used Emu fat for fuelling lamps.<ref name=e63/> In the 1930s, Emu killings in Western Australia peaked at 57,000 per year, and culls were also plentiful in Queensland at the same time due to rampant crop damage. Even in the 1960s, bounties were still paid in Western Australia for killing Emus.<ref name=e63/> In [[John Gould|John Gould's]] ''Handbook to the Birds of Australia'', first published in 1865, he laments the loss of the Emu from Tasmania, where it had become rare and has since become extinct; he notes that Emus were no longer common in the vicinity of Sydney and proposes that the species be given protected status.<ref name = "Gould" /> Wild Emus are formally protected in Australia under the ''[[Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999]]''. The [[International Union for Conservation of Nature|IUCN]] rates their status as [[Least Concern]].<ref name="IUCN">{{IUCN2008|assessors=BirdLife International|year=2008|id=141091|title=Dromaius novaehollandiae|downloaded=5 November 2008}}</ref> Their occurrence range is between {{convert|4240000|to(-)|6730000|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}, and a 1992 population estimate was between 630,000 and 725,000.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=7&m=1 | title=Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae | accessdate=6 February 2009 | publisher=BirdLife International}}</ref> |
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| − | Although the population of Emus on mainland Australia is thought to be higher now than before European settlement,<ref name = "AM" /> some wild populations are at risk of local extinction due to small population size. Threats to small populations include the clearance and fragmentation of areas of habitat; deliberate slaughter; collisions with vehicles; and predation of the young and eggs by foxes, feral and domestic dogs, and feral pigs. The isolated Emu population of the New South Wales North Coast Bioregion and [[Port Stephens Council|Port Stephens]] is listed as endangered by the New South Wales Government.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water |url=http://threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/tsprofile/profile.aspx?id=10250 |title=Emu population in the NSW North Coast Bioregion and Port Stephens LGA – profile |accessdate=21 September 2010}}</ref> |
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| − | ===Economic value=== |
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| − | The Emu was an important source of meat to Aboriginal Australians in the areas to which it was endemic. Emu fat was used as [[bush medicine]], and was rubbed on the skin. It also served as a valuable lubricant. It was mixed with [[Ochre Pits|ochre]] to make the traditional paint for ceremonial body adornment, as well as to oil wooden tools and utensils such as the [[Coolamon (vessel)|coolamon]].<ref>Eastman, pp. 62–64.</ref> |
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| − | [[File:Feeding farmed Emu.jpg|thumb|Farmed Emu at Virginia's Emu Marketing Cooperative near [[Warrenton, Virginia]], US]] |
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| − | An example of how the Emu was cooked comes from the [[Arrernte people|Arrernte]] of [[Central Australia]] who call it ''Kere ankerre'': |
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| − | {{blockquote|"Emus are around all the time, in green times and dry times. You pluck the feathers out first, then pull out the crop from the stomach, and put in the feathers you've pulled out, and then singe it on the fire. You wrap the milk guts that you've pulled out into something [such as] gum leaves and cook them. When you've got the fat off, you cut the meat up and cook it on fire made from [[Eucalyptus camaldulensis|river red gum]] wood."<ref>{{cite book |author=Turner, Margaret-Mary |title=Arrernte Foods: Foods from Central Australia |publisher=IAD Press |location=Alice Springs, Northern Territory |year=1994 |isbn=0-949659-76-2 |page=47}}</ref>}} |
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| − | Commercial Emu farming started in [[Western Australia]] in 1987 and the first slaughtering occurred in 1990.<ref>O'Malley, P. 1997. [http://www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/handbook/emu.html Emu Farming] in ''The New Rural Industries''. Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation</ref> In Australia, the commercial industry is based on stock bred in captivity and all states except Tasmania have licensing requirements to protect wild Emus. Outside Australia, Emus are farmed on a large scale in [[North America]], with about 1 million birds in the US,<ref name = "USDA">{{cite web|url=http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Ratites_Emu_Ostrich_Rhea/index.asp |title=Ratites (Emu, Ostrich, and Rhea) |publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |date= 28 April 2006 |accessdate=21 September 2010}}</ref> [[Peru]], and [[People's Republic of China|China]], and to a lesser extent in some other countries. Emus breed well in captivity, and are kept in large open pens to avoid leg and digestive problems that arise with inactivity. They are typically fed on grain supplemented by grazing, and are slaughtered at 50–70 weeks of age. They eat two times a day and prefer {{convert|2.25|kg|lb|0}} of leaves each meal. |
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| − | Emus are farmed primarily for their meat, leather, and [[emu oil|oil]]. Emu meat is a low-fat meat (less than 1.5% fat), and with cholesterol at 85 mg/100 g, it is comparable to other lean meats. Most of the usable portions (the best cuts come from the thigh and the larger muscles of the drum or lower leg) are, like other [[poultry]], dark meat; Emu meat is considered for cooking purposes by the USDA to be a [[red meat]] because its red colour and [[pH]] value approximate that of beef,<ref name = "USDA" /><ref>{{cite web|publisher=United States Department of Agriculture |year=2009 |title= USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 22 |url=http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/cgi-bin/list_nut_edit.pl?NDB_NO=05626&FDGP_CD=0500&FOOD_NAME=Emu%252c%2520full%2520rump%252c%2520raw&SCI_NAME=Dromaius%2520novaehollandiae&MSRE_NO0=100grams&GRAMS_100=1.00&1=1.00&NUMBER_OF_CHECKBOXES=1 |chapter=Emu, full rump, raw |accessdate=21 September 2010}}</ref> but for inspection purposes it is considered poultry. |
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| − | Emu fat is rendered to produce oil for cosmetics, dietary supplements, and therapeutic products.<ref name=h1276>Howarth, Lindsay, Butler and Geier, p. 1276.</ref> The oil is harvested from the subcutaneous and retroperitoneal fat from the macerated adipose tissue, and filtering the liquefied fat to get the oil, and has been used by indigenous Australians and the early white settlers for purported healing benefits.<ref name=h1276/> The oil consists mainly of [[fatty acids]]; [[oleic acid]] (42%), [[linoleic acid|linoleic]] and [[palmitic acid]]s (21% each) are the most prominent components.<ref name=h1276/> It also contains various anti-oxidants, notablly [[carotenoid]]s and [[flavone]]s.<ref name=h1276/> |
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| − | There is some evidence that the oil has anti-inflammatory properties;<ref name=yog/> however, there have not yet been extensive tests,<ref name=h1276/> and the US [[Food and Drug Administration (United States)|Food and Drug Administration]] regards pure Emu oil product as an unapproved drug.<ref>[http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/ucm137284.htm "How to Spot Health Fraud"]. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved 2011-11-16.</ref> Nevertheless the oil has been linked to the easing of gastrointestinal inflammation, and tests on rats have shown that it has a significant effect in threating athritis and joint pain, more so than olive or fish oils.<ref name=avian>{{Cite journal|doi=10.1071/EA08134|journal=Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture |year=2008 |volume=48 |pages=1345–1350 |title=Comparison of the antioxidant properties of emu oil with other avian oils |author=Bennett, Darin C.; Code, William E.; Godin, David V.; Cheng, Kimberly M.|issue=10}}</ref> It has been scientifically shown to improve the rate of wound healing, but the mechanism responsible for such aforementioned effects is not understood.<ref name=avian/> A 2008 study has claimed that emu oil has a better anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory potential than other avian and ratite oils, and linked this to emu oil's higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, in comparison to the amount of saturated fatty acids.<ref name=yog>{{Cite journal|author=Yoganathan, S.; Nicolosi, R.; Wilson, T. et al. |title=Antagonism of croton oil inflammation by topical emu oil in CD-1 mice |journal=Lipids |volume=38 |issue=6 |pages=603–607 |year=2003 |month=June |pmid=12934669 |doi= 10.1007/s11745-003-1104-y|url=}}</ref><ref name=avian/><ref>{{Cite journal|author=Politis M. J.; Dmytrowich, A.|title=Promotion of second intention wound healing by emu oil lotion: comparative results with furasin, polysporin, and cortisone |journal=Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery |volume=102 |issue=7 |pages=2404–2407 |year=1998 |month=December |pmid=9858176 |doi= 10.1097/00006534-199812000-00020|url=}}</ref> While there are no scientific studies showing that emu oil is effective in humans, it is marketed and promoted as a [[dietary supplement]] with a wide variety of claimed health benefits. Commercially marketed emu oil supplements are poorly standardised.<ref>{{Cite journal|author=Whitehouse, M. W.; Turner, A. G.; Davis, C. K.; Roberts, M. S. |title=Emu oil(s): A source of non-toxic transdermal anti-inflammatory agents in aboriginal medicine |journal=Inflammopharmacology |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=1–8 |year=1998 |pmid=17638122 |doi=10.1007/s10787-998-0001-9 |url=}}</ref> Such products are sometimes marketed deceptively; the USFDA highlighted emu oil in a 2009 article on "How to Spot Health Fraud".<ref>{{cite web| publisher = [[U.S. Food and Drug Administration]] | url = http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/EmergencyPreparedness/BioterrorismandDrugPreparedness/ucm137284.htm | title = How to Spot Health Fraud | date = 30 April 2009 | accessdate = 29 June 2009 | first = Paula | last = Kurtzweil}}</ref> |
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| − | Emu leather has a distinctive patterned surface, due to a raised area around the feather follicles in the skin; the leather is used in such small items as wallets and shoes, often in combination with other leathers. The feathers and eggs are used in decorative arts and crafts. In particular, hollowed-out emu eggs have been engraved with portraits, similar to cameos, and scenes of other Australian native animals.<ref>[http://www.nma.gov.au/collections-search/results?search=adv&type=Emu+eggs Carved emu eggs, National Museum of Australia]</ref> |
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| − | [[Salem district]] administration stepped in to advise farmers not to invest in the emu business <ref>[http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-04-21/chennai/31378584_1_emu-farms-salem-farmers Don’t invest in Emu farms, say Salem authorities]</ref>. |
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| − | ===Cultural references=== |
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| − | [[File:Emu public.jpg|frame|The Aboriginal "[[Australian Aboriginal astronomy#Emu in the sky|Emu in the sky]]". In Western astronomy terms, the [[Crux|Southern Cross]] is on the right, and [[Scorpius]] on the left; the head of the emu is the [[Coalsack]].]] |
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| − | The Emu has a prominent place in [[Australian Aboriginal mythology]], including a [[creation myth]] of the [[Gamilaraay language|Yuwaalaraay]] and other groups in NSW who say that the sun was made by throwing an Emu's egg into the sky; the bird features in numerous [[Etiology|aetiological]] stories told across a number of Aboriginal groups.<ref>{{cite book |author=Dixon, Roland B. |year=1916 |title=Oceanic Mythology |chapter=Australia |url=http://www.sacred-texts.com/pac/om/ |accessdate=30 September 2010 |location=Charleston, South Carolina |publisher=Bibliobazaar |isbn=0-8154-0059-4}}</ref> One story from Western Australia holds that a man once annoyed a small bird, who responded by throwing a [[boomerang]], severing the arms of the man and transforming him into a flightless Emu.<ref name=e60>Eastman, p. 60.</ref> The [[Kurdaitcha]] man of [[Central Australia]] is said to wear sandals made of Emu feathers to mask his footprints. Many Aboriginal language groups throughout Australia have a tradition that the dark dust lanes in the [[Milky Way]] represent a giant [[Australian Aboriginal astronomy#Emu in the sky|emu in the sky]]. Several of the [[Sydney rock engravings]] depict an Emu.<ref>{{cite arxiv |eprint=1009.4753 |first1=Ray P. |last1=Norris |first2=Duane W. |last2=Hamacher |title=Astrological Symbolism in Australian Aboriginal Rock Art |year=2010 |class=physics.hist-ph}}</ref> The animals are also depicted in indigenous dances.<ref name=e62>Eastman, p. 62.</ref> |
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| − | [[File:New South Wales 100th anniversary stamp.png|thumb|upright|New South Wales 100th Anniversary stamp]] |
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| − | The Emu is popularly but unofficially considered as a faunal emblem—the [[List of national birds|national bird]] of Australia.<ref name="CoatArms">{{cite web|publisher=Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade |url=http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/coat_of_arms.html |title=Australia's Coat of Arms |year=2008 |month=January |accessdate=21 September 2010}}</ref> It appears as a shield bearer on the [[Coat of arms of Australia]] with the [[Red Kangaroo]] and as a part of the Arms also appears on the Australian [[Coins of the Australian dollar|50 cent coin]].<ref name="CoatArms"/><ref name="50Cents">{{cite web| title = Fifty cents | publisher = Royal Australian Mint | year = 2010 | url = http://www.ramint.gov.au/designs/ram-designs/50c.cfm| accessdate = 2011-11-07}}</ref> It has featured on numerous Australian [[postage stamp]]s, including a [[federation of Australia|pre-federation]] New South Wales 100th Anniversary issue from 1888, which featured a 2 [[penny|pence]] blue Emu stamp, a 36 cent stamp released in 1986, and a $1.35 stamp released in 1994.<ref name="Stamp ">{{cite web | title =Emu Stamps| publisher =Bird Stamps | url = http://www.bird-stamps.org/cspecies/400100.htm| accessdate = 2011-11-01}}</ref> The hats of the [[Australian Light Horse]] are decorated with an Emu feather plume.<ref name="LightHorse">{{cite web| title = Tabulam and the Light Horse Tradition| publisher = Australian Light Horse Association| year = 2011 | url = http://www.lighthorse.org.au/resources/military-stories-misc/tabulam-and-the-light-horse-tradition| accessdate = 2011-11-07}}</ref> |
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| − | There are around 600 [[Gazetteer of Australia|gazetted]] places named after the Emu in Australia, including mountains, lakes, creeks, and towns.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Geoscience Australia |year=2004 |url=http://www.ga.gov.au/bin/gazm01?placename=emu&placetype=0&state=0 |title=Place Names Search Result |accessdate=30 September 2010}}</ref> During the 19th and 20th centuries, many Australian companies and household products were named after the bird; for example, in Western Australia, [[Emu (beer)|Emu-branded beer]] has been produced since the early 20th century. The [[Swan Brewery]] continues to produce a range of Emu-branded beers. ''[[Emu (journal)|Emu – Austral Ornithology]]'' is the quarterly peer-reviewed publication of the [[Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union]], also known as Birds Australia.<ref name="EmuJournal">{{cite web| title = Emu Austral Ornithology | publisher = Royal Australasian Ornithologists´ Union | year = 2011 | url = http://www.publish.csiro.au/nid/96.htm| accessdate = 2011-11-07}}</ref> |
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| − | The late comedian, [[Rod Hull]], featured an [[Emu (puppet)|emu puppet]] in his act.<ref name="comeback">{{cite news | date=2006-06-08 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5059196.stm | title=Emu set for television comeback | publisher=BBC News | accessdate=2006-06-08}}</ref> |
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| − | ==See also== |
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| − | *[[Ostrich]] |
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| − | *[[Greater Rhea]] |
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| − | *[[Birds of Australia]] |
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| − | *[[Fauna of Australia]] |
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| − | ==Notes== |
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| − | <!--This article uses the Cite.php citation mechanism. If you would like more information on how to add references to this article, please see http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Cite/Cite.php --> |
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| − | {{Reflist|2}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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| − | *{{Cite journal|doi=10.1071/ZO9950365|journal=Australian Journal of Zoology |year=1995 |volume=43 |pages= 365–372|title=The Mating System of Free-living Emus |author=Coddington, Catherine L.; Cockburn, Andrew|issue=4}} |
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| − | *{{Cite book|author=Eastman, Maxine|title=The life of the emu |year=1969 |location=London; Sydney |publisher=Angus and Robertson |isbn=0-207-95120-9}} |
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| − | *{{Cite journal|doi=10.1071/EA08139|journal=Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture |year=2008 |volume=48 |pages= 1276–1279 |title=Can emu oil ameliorate inflammatory disorders affecting the gastrointestinal system? |author=Howarth, Gordon S.; Lindsay, Ruth J.; Butler, Ross N.; Geier, Mark S.|issue=10}} |
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| − | *{{Cite journal|doi=10.1071/EA08142|journal=Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture |year= 2008 |volume=48 |pages= 1293–1301 |title=Thermoregulation in ratites: a review |author= Maloney, Shane K.|issue=10}} |
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| − | *{{cite journal|journal=Cytogenet. Genome Res.|volume=117|pages=103–109|title=A new look at the evolution of avian sex chromosomes|author=Stiglec, R.; Ezaz, T.; Graves, J. A. M.|year= 2007|doi=10.1159/000103170|pmid=17675850}} |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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| − | {{Spoken Wikipedia|Emu.ogg|2006-08-07}} |
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| − | {{Commons|Dromaius novaehollandiae}} |
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| − | {{Wikispecies|Dromaius novaehollandiae|Emu}} |
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| − | * [http://twitter.com/#!/BalajiEmuFarms Balaji Emu Farms] for [http://in.linkedin.com/in/balajiemufarms current trends] & news around [http://www.facebook.com/BalajiEmuFarms Emu Farming Industry] |
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| − | * [http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/August2000/default.htm Emu chicks emerging], article with sound clips, photos and videos. |
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| − | * [http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/lhplumes/feathers.htm "Kangaroo feathers" and the Australian Light Horse] from the [[Australian War Memorial]] |
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| − | * [http://ibc.lynxeds.com/species/emu-dromaius-novaehollandiae Emu videos, photos & sounds] on the Internet Bird Collection |
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| − | * [http://syllabub.blogspot.com/2008/03/egg.html#comments A discussion of Emu eggs and how to cook them] |
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| − | * [http://www.nma.gov.au/collections-search/results?search=adv&type=Emu+eggs National Museum of Australia Collection of hollow carved emu eggs featuring portraits of prominent Indigenous Australians] |
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| − | *{{Cite NSRW|Emu}} |
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| − | {{Casuariidae}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT: Emu}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT: Emu}} |
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{{Project Dromaiidae}} |
{{Project Dromaiidae}} |
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| − | [[Category:Birds of Tasmania]] |
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| − | [[Category:Birds of Western Australia]] |
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| − | [[Category:Bushfood]] |
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| − | [[Category:Casuariidae]] |
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| − | [[Category:Dromaius]] |
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| − | [[Category:Flightless birds]] |
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| − | [[Category:Domesticated birds]] |
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| − | [[Category:Heraldic birds]] |
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| − | [[Category:Megafauna of Australia]] |
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| − | [[Category:National symbols of Australia]] |
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| − | [[Category:Ratites]] |
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| − | [[Category:Animals described in 1790]] |
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| − | [[Category:Bird families]] |
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| − | [[Category:Dromaiidae]] |
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[[Category:Dromaius]] |
[[Category:Dromaius]] |
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| − | [[Category: |
+ | [[Category:Emus]] |
| − | [[Category:Casuariiformes]] |
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[[Category:Flightless birds]] |
[[Category:Flightless birds]] |
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Revision as of 17:29, 14 July 2017
Other names
Description
Similar species
Behaviour
Diet
Calls
Reproduction
Distribution/habitat
References
External links
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