Australian Emu Animated

The Australian Emu Behaviour Diagram

         This diagram content the attributes and the action from Australian Emu. The information in this diagram, I got it from my observation in the Zoo Negara and some websites also some videos from Youtube. The attributes from the emu can we divide into two while they are still a chicks and when they are adult, there are many differences in that time. The Characteristics from the emu are the very long legs and their feathers which is very different with other birds. I also explain about their beaks, heads, eyes, throats and their weight. The emu have many abilities, they eat everything as well. They can swim, they can sense thunder or lightening from a great distance and they are a very fast runner, emu can run up to 50km/hour over a large distance.

Australian Emu – Youtube Videos

            From the videos above I have a lot of information about the emu. Australia’s largest native bird is also its most popular. Emu is a bit of a symbol for Australians together with kangaroos it’s on Australian passports and government logos, on wine bottles and beer cans. And it deserves it all, it is one of the most impressive Australian birds, and it is found nowhere else in the world but in Australia.

Emus (pronounced ee-mews) are the second largest member of the ratite group of flightless birds. It is believed that the emu is a survivor of prehistoric times and dates back some 80 million years roaming the outback of Australia. The aborigine tribes relied upon the emu for their existence. The emu provided them with food, clothing, shelter and spiritual sustenance.

The color of the eggs range from a medium green to dark green (almost black) with  some having a very smooth glasslike texture. An average egg weigh between 600-700 grams when laid. The eggs are adible consisting of approximately 10 chicken eggs. The egg is mostly yolk but has a much milder flavor than the poultry. It is excellent when used in cooking. Unfertile eggs are blown for crafters. Engraving is possible as the outer layer of shell is gree, the next layer is a light blue and the inside layer is white. This is demonstrated in this picture:

Emu hatchlings are covered with striped (brown to black) down with spotted heads, they are about 10 inches tall at birth. As 3 month old chicks, they turn nearly solid black, changing into a tan, brown and black mixture as adults, some with a bluish neck. The feathers are downy, with no stiff vein running through the center.

            The mature emu is 5 to 6 feet tall and normally weighs 90 to 120 pounds. They are a strong runners, reaching ground speeds of up to 50 miles per hour in short bursts and covering about nine feet stride.

            Emus are the only bird who have double feathers. The barbs coming out of the shafts are separate, not joined together as they are in the feathers of birds that fly. This means that the birds looks more like it is covered with hair than with feathers. The feathers used in crafts, clothing accents, jewelry and even pillows. Their beaks are wide and soft, for grazing grass and browsing in bushes.

            It is a nomadic bird and follows rains. Nobody really knows how they find the areas where isolated storms have fallen, but it is thought that they can sense thunder or lightening from great distances. They are usually seen walking around in the bush and foraging.  

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wP_Ukx2Sp1Y

         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHmKYFb3ngE

Australian Emu – Zoo Negara

On 28 June 2012, we going to Zoo Negara which is located at Ulu Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. We asked to observed an animal that we like, the behavior of them when they are alone or when they are in the crowd (group). We also asked to make a 3D modeling of that animal, as well with a complete diagram about their attributes and their actions. So, I choose Australian Emu for my observation.

The emu is the largest bird in Australia and the second largest in the world after ostrich. It is part of a group birds called ratites, which are big birds that do not fly. The emu have tiny wings but the bones across their chest do not have a part for flight muscles to attach to. Emu females are generally larger than the males. Females weight about 40kg, the males about 36kg.

Why I choose the emu? Because I feel interested with the ability of this bird. Emu can run up to 50km/h, and they have a pair of very long legs with 3 large toes each with a claw. Emu have brown feathers, and it grow like hairs not like the other birds feathers. From my observation, emu necks are often without feathers, and the skin is bluish. Emus also have long necks, sharp beaks and small ears and they can scratch their back with their beak. From the information board that available in front of the emu’s cage, I found more information such as they have two sets of eyelids, one for blinking and one to keep out the dust. One of the three toes on their feet has a long talon which is for fighting. Emus can grow to between 5 to 6.5 feet (1.5 – 2 meters) in height and weigh up to 130 pounds (60kg). The males make a grunting sound like a pig and the females make a loud booming sound or like drumming.

        Emus are omnivorous, meaning that they eat both plants and meat. They eat fruits, flowers, insects, seeds and green plants. As they peck at the grass, they pick up snails, slugs or other grubs as well. They even eat stones, dirt and tin cans by accident. When food is plentiful, emus store large amounts of fat in their bodies. They use these fat stores to survive while looking for more food. The emu is an animal that active during day time. I also record a video when I saw the emu, from the video we can see the environment where the emu lives. They have a quite wide cage but still I do not feel it is good enough for the emu, because from the information again, it stated that the emu is a nomadic animal and normally they will roam the country to search for the food. It should be more bigger than what they have, and still need more grass.