Emus

An emu is a large flightless bird that is native to Australia. Emu legs can rip apart metal, which gives emus the reputation for strongest bird. The emu is relatives to the cassowary and the ostrich, two other big flightless birds. The emu sprints at 50 km/h or 31 mph. When running, the emu takes strides of 275 cm. The emu is 2 meters or 6.6 feet tall. Emus have good eyesight and hearing, which is great for carnivores(meat eaters). Emus are NOT meat eaters! They are omnivores with a steady diet of plants, insects, wheat, and fruit. Papa emu will build a nest for Mom emu when it is mating season. Mom then lays the eggs. Normally, Mom emus lay 11 eggs, but sometimes she lays 20. Now Papa does the rest. Papa sits on the nest and hardly moves until the eggs hatch. Papa won't eat for the 2 month wait. He keeps turning the eggs carefully to keep them completely warm. After the eggs hatch, Papa will have to stay with them for six more months. Papa teaches them to find food and keeps them from predators like foxes, dingos, and eagles. I hope you now know plenty about emus!!! Sources of information and pictures. Wikipedia Encyclopedia Ranger Rick magazine