Size : 65-120 pounds - Female heavier than male, up to 6 feet tall.

Lifespan : 5-10 years.

Breeding : December and January.  Eggs incubate for 8 weeks.  8-10 dark green eggs are laid.

Habits : Sociable outside breeding season.  Nomadic.

Diet : Fruit, seeds, insects, reptiles, small mammals occasionally, rabbit and chicken pellets.

    Besides the ostrich, the emu is the largest bird in the world and the oldest existing bird.  It is flightless and can use its powerful legs to travel up to 30 miles per hour.  It will also use its legs for defense by kicking predators.  An emu will live in small groups except during breeding season.  A herd of several thousand emus grouped together is occasionally found in the wild.  It will travel long distances in search of food, and needs large amounts of water.  An emu will also eat pebbles to help its stomach grind food.
    Emus nest on the ground.  Females lay a clutch of 8-10 dark green eggs, weighing about 1.5 pounds each.  They are incubated by the male for 52-60 days.  During this time, the male will not eat or drink but will live off his fat reserves.  The male is very aggressive after the chicks hatch and will fight off females or humans who come too close.  He guards the chicks for five to seven weeks.
    Farmers do not like emus because the large birds have been known to break fences and feed on crops.  In 1932, an attempt was made to destroy the emu using machine guns.  It was known as the "emu war". Smaller related species on nearby islands were exterminated, but the Australian emu survived.
    The emu has served as a source of food, and it appears on the Australian coat of arms along with the kangaroo.