Description
A mother and baby emu stand near waterholes. Emus and cassowaries are the last remaining large, flightless birds in Australia. Ostriches are also found here but are not native having been introduced for feather farming, some escaping into the wild.
The emu is the largest surviving native bird in Australia. While it is found across almost all of mainland Australia, it is rare in settled areas. It is mainly found in open woodland and plains.
Emus can stand up to 2m tall (6.5 feet) and can weigh up to 55Kg (120lb). They are predominantly brown in colour with a white base to the feathers. The back of their neck is free from feathers and has a bluish tinge.