The emu is the world’s second-tallest living bird after the ostrich.
An adult emu can reach about 1.9 metres in height. It is a large, flightless bird with long legs, a long neck, and small vestigial wings. Emus are native to most of mainland Australia, although they are absent from some heavily populated and densely settled areas.
Emus are omnivorous and eat plants, insects, small vertebrates, and other available food. Their long legs enable them to run at high speed, and they can cover considerable distances while searching for food and water. They also swallow small stones that help grind food in the muscular gizzard.
Unlike many birds, the male emu incubates the eggs and cares for the chicks after hatching. During incubation, he remains on the nest for about eight weeks and eats very little. Emus are often confused with cassowaries, but cassowaries are shorter, more compact rainforest birds with distinctive casque structures.