Lyla Lindsey
Australia is home to a variety of flightless birds, including the emu, the cassowary, the little penguin, the Australian bustard, the mihirung, and the Tasmanian native hen. The emu is the tallest bird native to Australia and the second-tallest bird in the world, growing up to 1.9 meters (6 feet) tall. It is also incredibly fast, reaching speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph). The cassowary is the heaviest bird in Australia and the second-heaviest in the world, and is known for its jet-black feathers and colourful skin on its face and neck. Cassowaries are native to the tropical forests of northeastern Australia, New Guinea, and surrounding islands.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Emu |
| Scientific Name | Dromaius novaehollandiae |
| Habitat | Australia, specifically the mainland, Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, and King Island |
| Height | Up to 1.9 meters (6.2 feet) |
| Weight | Up to 55 kilograms (121 pounds), with an average of 31.5-37 kilograms depending on sex |
| Diet | Omnivorous, feeding on plants and insects |
| Speed | Can sprint at up to 48 km/h (30 mph) or 50 km/h (31 mph) |
| Cultural Significance | Important cultural icon of Australia, appearing on the coat of arms and coinage |
| Mythology | Features in Australian Aboriginal mythology, including creation myths |
| Related Species | Cassowary, a close relative that is the heaviest bird in Australia |
| Cassowary Habitat | Northern Australia, New Guinea, and surrounding islands |
| Cassowary Diet | Frugivores, feeding on the fruit of several hundred rainforest plants |
| Cassowary Behaviour | Solitary most of the year, with males rumbling and fluffing feathers when meeting |
| Cassowary Cultural Significance | Feathers used for ceremonial headdresses by Indigenous people |
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What You'll Learn
The emu is the largest bird native to Australia
The emu is a member of the genus Dromaius and is the only extant member of this genus. It is the second-tallest bird in the world, after the ostrich, and is considered a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. However, some local populations are listed as endangered due to threats such as egg predation, roadkill, and habitat fragmentation.
The emu has a prominent place in Australian culture and appears on the country's coat of arms and various coinages. The bird is also featured in Indigenous Australian mythologies, with stories varying across different Aboriginal groups. One story from Western Australia tells of a man who annoyed a small bird, which responded by throwing a boomerang and transforming him into a flightless emu.
Emus are large and powerful birds, with legs that are among the strongest of any animal. They are very defensive of their young, and there have been rare cases of humans being attacked by emus. In the past, early European settlers killed emus for food and lamp fuel, and they also tried to prevent them from interfering with farming. An example of this is the Emu War in Western Australia in 1932, when a large number of emus flocked to the Chandler and Walgoolan area during a drought, damaging crops and fencing.
The emu has evolved to be flightless due to several factors related to its environment and evolutionary history. This evolution towards flightlessness is often accompanied by increased body size, reduced wing size, and changes in bone density, which can provide advantages in thermoregulation, energy efficiency, and foraging abilities.
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Emu features in Australian Aboriginal mythology
Emus are an important cultural icon in Australia, and they feature prominently in Aboriginal stories, dances, astrological mythology, and creation stories. The emu constellation, also known as the "Great Celestial Emu", is well-known throughout Australia, and its position in the sky indicates the best time to collect emu eggs. The emu is also an important source of food for Aboriginal Australians, who only kill emus out of necessity. Every part of the carcass is used; the fat is harvested for oil, the bones are made into knives and tools, the feathers are used for body adornment, and the tendons are used for string.
The emu is also significant in Aboriginal astronomy, where the movements of astronomical objects like the sun, moon, stars, planets, and the Milky Way are seen as representative of objects, animals, or aspects of the world. The "Emu in the Sky" or "Sky-Emu" is a constellation formed by the dark patches, stars, and other features of the night sky. The Coalsack Nebula, a dark patch next to the Southern Cross constellation, is associated with the head of the "Emu in the Sky", with the body and legs formed by the dust trails that reach across the Milky Way. This interpretation of the Milky Way as an emu contrasts with Western readings, which focus on the bright stars of the constellation. The changing patterns of the Milky Way throughout the year are believed to indicate the shape and angle of the emu, with dark spaces appearing around the body of the emu as it moves.
The emu is also featured in various Aboriginal creation stories. One creation myth of the Yuwaalaraay and other groups in New South Wales says that the sun was made by throwing an emu's egg into the sky. Another story from Western Australia holds that a man once annoyed a small bird, which threw a boomerang that severed the man's arms and transformed him into a flightless emu. The Kurdaitcha man of Central Australia is said to wear sandals made of emu feathers to mask his footprints.
The emu has also inspired contemporary Aboriginal artists and writers, who depict the bird in vibrant colours and intricate designs in paintings, sculptures, and other art forms. The emu often features as a central character in Dreamtime stories and contemporary Indigenous narratives, and it has emerged as a powerful symbol of Indigenous identity, pride, resilience, and cultural resilience. The emu is often incorporated into Indigenous flags, logos, and public artworks, serving as a reminder of the ongoing struggle for recognition and self-determination.
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The cassowary is the heaviest bird in Australia
The cassowary is a large, flightless bird native to the tropical forests of Australia, New Guinea, and the Moluccas. It is most closely related to the emu, another flightless bird found in Australia. The cassowary is the heaviest bird in Australia, with some individuals weighing up to 85 kg (187 lb). The southern cassowary, the largest of the three cassowary species, can grow up to 2 m (6 ft 6+1⁄2 in) tall.
Cassowaries are covered in dense, two-quilled black feathers that, from a distance, look like hair. These feathers provide protection in the bird's rainforest habitat, keeping it dry and safe from sharp thorns. Adult cassowaries are generally jet black, but their skin colours on the face and neck vary by species and location. Female cassowaries are larger and more brightly coloured than males.
Cassowaries are frugivores, feeding on the fruits of several hundred rainforest plant species. They also eat fungi, insects, small vertebrates, and carrion. Cassowaries play an important role in the ecosystem by dispersing seeds over large distances. In fact, some plants require passage through a cassowary's digestive system to be able to sprout!
Cassowaries are generally shy and wary of humans, but they can be dangerous if provoked. They are adept at avoiding humans, but if threatened, they are capable of inflicting serious, even fatal, injuries. Cassowary chicks are vulnerable to large pythons, monitor lizards, New Guinea singing dogs, and Papuan eagles.
In Australia, the southern cassowary population is listed as Endangered under federal law, facing threats from vehicles and competition with wild boars. Conservation efforts are underway to protect this species.
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The cassowary is native to the tropical forests of Australia
The cassowary is a large, flightless bird native to the tropical forests of northeastern Australia, New Guinea, and nearby smaller islands. It is a member of the genus Casuarius and is known for its solitary and aggressive nature. The bird plays an important ecological role in seed dispersal, contributing to the regeneration of forests in protected areas.
There are three extant cassowary species: the southern cassowary, the northern cassowary, and the dwarf cassowary. The southern cassowary, distributed in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and northeastern Australia, is the most common. It inhabits tropical rainforests and forages on the forest floor for fallen fruit, seeds, fungi, insects, small vertebrates, and carrion. The southern cassowary is also capable of safely digesting some fruits and seeds that are toxic to other animals.
The northern cassowary is the most recently discovered and the most threatened of the three species. It is about the same size as the southern cassowary and is found in similar habitats. The dwarf cassowary, as the name suggests, is the smallest of the three species and is also the least common.
The cassowary has been subjected to ongoing habitat loss due to logging, limited range, and overhunting in some areas. Habitat destruction and fragmentation have been the main causes of the cassowary's population decline. Cyclones have also depleted their food sources, and the birds have ventured closer to human settlements, making them more vulnerable to dog attacks and vehicle collisions.
Despite these threats, the southern cassowary was evaluated as a "Least Concern" species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2018. However, the Australian population is listed as Endangered under federal law, and conservation efforts are ongoing to protect this unique and important species.
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The Tasmanian native hen is a flightless rail bird
The Tasmanian native hen (Tribonyx mortierii) is a flightless rail bird. It is one of twelve species of birds endemic to Australia's island state of Tasmania. It is also known as narkie, waterhen, and turbo chook. The latter nickname is a reference to its speed—the Tasmanian native hen is an extremely fast runner, reaching speeds of up to 50 kilometres per hour. It is also a strong swimmer and will take to the water to evade predators.
The Tasmanian native hen is a stocky bird, standing between 43 and 51 centimetres in length. It has strong, sturdy legs, a large yellow bill, red eyes, a brown head, back and wings, and a grey belly. They live in northern and eastern Tasmania, near marshes, river flats, fresh water streams, and rivers. They prefer to live close to water and are preyed upon by quolls, Tasmanian devils, and a large range of birds, including kookaburras, ravens, gulls, and birds of prey.
The breeding season for Tasmanian native hens is from July to December, and they typically lay around five eggs, although it is not uncommon for them to lay nine or ten. In years when food is plentiful, they may produce another brood. The eggs hatch after approximately three weeks of incubation, which is shared by both parents. The chicks leave the nest a day after hatching and tend to remain in the area of their birth, often living in multi-generational groups.
The social structure of native hens is unique. Research has shown that within a population, roughly half are monogamous, and half are polygamous. Polygamy in native hens most often occurs in groups of three to five individuals, of which only one is female. This female mates with all the other males in the group, a behaviour called polyandry. Juvenile native hens assist with the raising and protection of their siblings.
The diet of the Tasmanian native hen mostly comprises grass shoots and the leaves of low herbs, which they graze on during daylight hours. They will also eat insects, seeds, and orchard fruit. The species has a reputation among farmers as an agricultural pest, but this belief has been challenged by studies showing that rabbits are responsible for more damage to crops.
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Frequently asked questions
Some examples of large flightless Australian birds include the emu, the cassowary, and the little penguin.
The emu is the tallest bird native to Australia and the second-tallest bird in the world, growing up to 1.9 meters (6.2 feet) tall. They have soft brown feathers, a long neck, and long legs. Emus are omnivorous and can go for weeks without eating. They are also incredibly fast runners, reaching speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph).
The cassowary is a large flightless bird native to the tropical forests of northeastern Australia, New Guinea, and surrounding islands. They are the heaviest bird in Australia and the second heaviest in the world. Cassowaries are usually jet black with brightly coloured skin on their face and neck. They are also known for their casque, a helmet-like structure on their head.
Yes, Australia is home to several other flightless bird species, including the Tasmanian native hen, the Australian bustard, the malleefowl, and the plains wanderer.
