KIDS CORNER AUSTRALIAN

This presentation aims to teach you about the emu.

This presentation has the following structure:

Slide 1 - What is an Emu? Slide 2 - Emu Appearance Slide 3 - Emu Behaviour Slide 4 - Coastal Emu Slide 5 - Threats to the Emu Slide 6 - Emu Conservation Slide 7 - Emu Facts Slide 8 - Australian Curriculum Mapping

This booklet was created in conjunction with Edge Pledge. KIDS CORNER AUSTRALIAN EMU

What is an Emu?

The emu is Australia's tallest native , and the second largest living bird in the world, after its African relative, the ostrich. An adult emu may reach up to two metres (6 ft) in height and can weigh up to 45 kg.

The emu is a hardy bird, able to survive in most habitats. They can be found across much of Australia from coastal regions to high in the mountains, though they generally avoid densely forested regions and dry deserts. The main habitats of the emu include sclerophyll forest (which typically has eucalypts, wattles and banksias) and savanna woodland.

The emu has a grey-brown of shaggy appearance, and its feathers are tipped black. Their inner plumage insulates their skin and their outer feather tips absorb solar radiation. This allows the emu to cope in extreme weather conditions and remain active throughout the heat of the day. The emu’s powerful legs enable it to reach great speeds – they can run up to 50 km per hour. At full pace, an emu's stride can measure up to 3 metres.

The emu is classified with other flightless running in a group known as . Ratites include kiwis, ostriches and . KIDS CORNER AUSTRALIAN EMU

Emu Behaviour

The emu is a diurnal bird, meaning it is active during the day. The emu is quite a curious bird and will spend its days undertaking various activities that can include foraging, preening itself with its , dust bathing and resting. eat a wide variety of leaves, grasses, fruits, seeds, native plants, droppings, and sometimes, small and insects.

They are generally docile, except during the breeding season which generally occurs between April and June. A female emu will lay a clutch of 8-10 eggs usually but can have up to 20 eggs which are dark grey-green in colour. After the eggs are laid, the female leaves the male to take care of the eggs for the 50- 60 day incubation period. During this time, he does not eat, drink, or defecate, and stands only to turn the eggs, which he does about ten times a day. He will lose approximately one-third of his weight throughout this eight-week period, surviving on stored body fat and on any morning dew that he can reach from the nest. Once the chicks have hatched, the male will raise them with no contribution from the female until they are approximately seven months old. He will belligerently protect and guard his young, adopting an aggressive stance against other animals, including the mother.

Emus can be quite vocal and often make a range of deep-throated booming and grunting sounds by using their tracheal pouch, which is part of the windpipe. This pouch is most frequently used during courtship. KIDS CORNER AUSTRALIAN EMU

Emu Appearance

The emu is grey-brown in colour, though the shade of brown varies according to the season, environmental changes as well as the behaviour of nearby birds. Emus grow a double-shafted feather from each follicle, giving them an unkempt, shaggy appearance. The feathers are important as they allow emus to cope with extreme changes in weather.

The emu’s neck and head are predominately naked and bluish-black. The beak is wide, soft and pointed for feeding on grasses and herbs and browsing in bushes.

Emus have long and powerful legs with three forward-facing toes on each foot with no hind toe. The underside of their toes are flattened with a small pad which aids in giving them traction over rough terrain.

Emu chicks stand approximately 25 cm tall and have fluffy feathers with brown and cream stripes for camouflage. This colouring fades as the chick matures. Chicks grow very quickly, at a rate of approximately 1 kg per week; reaching their full height between 12 to 14 months.

The emu has two sets of eyelids, one for blinking and the other for keeping the dust and sand out! KIDS CORNER AUSTRALIAN EMU

Threats to the Emu

The common emu is listed as ‘Least Concern’ on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. The main threats to emus include habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive species predation, vehicle collision and deliberate slaughter. Fences (e.g. dog fences) can also interfere with the emu’s movement and migration, with many birds being crushed in the process. The dingo is one of the few native, natural predators of the emu that still exists today. However, raptors, monitor lizards, red foxes, feral pigs, and feral and domestic dogs will occasionally feed on emu eggs or hunt small emu chicks. The emu uses its powerful legs to defend against predators; deploying a swift kick when threatened or attacked. When being chased by predators from the sky, such as the wedge-tailed eagle, the emu will run chaotically in a zig-zag pattern to evade capture.

Although the population of emus on mainland Australia are considered stable, some local populations are at risk of , as seen with the emu which became extinct in the early 1800’s. The isolated emu population of the New South Wales North Coast Bioregion and Port Stephens are listed as endangered by the New South Wales Government, due to habitat fragmentation from urban development, poor fire management and predation. Habitat fragmentation alters the population dynamics of emus, which have a significant conservation value to the region as the birds play a role in the dispersal of seeds and plants which is important in maintaining the regional biodiversity. KIDS CORNER AUSTRALIAN EMU

Coastal Emu

Recent decades have seen a dramatic decline in coastal emu populations. The coastal emu was once widespread in north-eastern New South Wales but is now restricted to coastal and near-coastal areas between Evans Head and Red Rock and a small isolated population further west in the Bungawalbin area.

The coastal emu population in the North Coast Bioregion and Port Stephens has been listed as endangered since 2017. It is estimated that there could be less than 100 surviving individuals in the wild. These numbers will continue to decrease with habitat degradation, deliberate killings, vehicle strikes and predation by wild dogs, cats, foxes and feral pigs.

The decline of the emu has dire implications for the entire ecosystem and the diverse flora and fauna across the region. The absence of the coastal emu could ultimately impact the delicate harmony of the east-coast ecosystems. KIDS CORNER AUSTRALIAN EMU

Emu Facts

• In 1932, the Australian government launched a war against emus. Concerned by the growing population of emus in Western Australia, the Minister of Defence, George Pearce, deployed troops armed with machine guns to take on the emu, starting the Great Emu War of 1932. However, the army underestimated the emu, and within a week of first contact, the troops were recalled. The humans had lost the war against the emu.

• The emu is an important cultural icon in Australia, appearing on the coat of arms and various coins.

• The emu is a strong swimmer, but will rarely do so unless an area is flooded or if it needs to cross a river.

• The and the emu are both now extinct sub- species.

• The emu is the second largest living bird on the planet, after the ostrich. It is the largest native bird in Australia.

• Female emus court the males; fighting amongst females for a mate is quite common. KIDS CORNER AUSTRALIAN EMU

Australian Curriculum Mapping

GRADE 5 SCIENCE (ACSSU043): Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment.

GRADE 6 SCIENCE (ACSSU094): The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment.

GRADE 6 HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES (ACHASSI127): Examine different viewpoints on actions, events, issues and phenomena in the past and present.

YEAR 7 SCIENCE (ACSSU112): Interactions between organisms, including the effects of human activities can be represented by food chains and food webs.

YEAR 10: SCIENCE (ACHGK070): Human-induced environmental changes that challenge sustainability.

SUSTAINABILITY (01.2): All life forms, including human life, are connected through ecosystems on which they depend for their well being and survival. KIDS CORNER AUSTRALIAN EMU

FOR MORE INFORMATION, please visit www.mygreenworld.org or email [email protected] to get in touch with us.

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This booklet was created in conjunction with Edge Pledge.