Features of Australian emus and their characteristics. Thematic conversation for elementary school students with a presentation. Emu bird

The emu is a large flightless Australian bird. The emu, together with the emu, is the heraldry animal of Australia. This ostrich is not only an excellent runner, but also an excellent swimmer. Bird report with video and photo

Squad - Cassowaries

Family - Emu

Genus/Species - Dromaius novaehollandiae

Basic data:

DIMENSIONS

Height: up to 1.7 m.

Body Height: 1m.

Weight: emus weigh on average 50 kg, females are slightly heavier than males.

REPRODUCTION

Puberty: from 2 years old.

Nesting period: depends on the region.

Carrying: 1 or 2 per year.

Number of eggs: 7-8.

Incubation: 56-66 days.

LIFESTYLE

Habits: Emu ostriches (look at the photo) lead a gregarious nomadic life outside the nesting period.

Food: plants, seeds and fruits, as well as insects, small rodents and lizards.

Lifespan: 5-10 years, more in captivity.

RELATED SPECIES

Relatives of the emu are the cassowary and.

The usual plumage of emus is dark in color, and by the nesting period it becomes light brown. This unusual flightless bird is a close relative of the cassowary and the African ostrich. All these birds have a similar skull structure and equally long, strong legs.

REPRODUCTION

The male builds an oval-shaped platform on the ground, 1 m long and 70 cm wide. The nest is lined with grass, leaves and twigs.

The female lays 7-8 large, olive-green eggs in the nest. Interestingly, it is the male who incubates the eggs and takes care of the chicks, not the female. The caring father incubates the eggs for 56-66 days, during which time he does not eat and only occasionally goes to water. It should be noted that in the first and last weeks of incubation, the male does not leave the nest at all - not even to drink water. During all this time, the male emu loses up to a third of his weight. The chicks hatch after 56-66 days and leave the nest fairly quickly. After the chicks hatch, the male spends all his attention on them. He takes care of the chicks for 5-7 months.

EMU AND HUMAN

A. Brem described six species of emu that lived on the islands surrounding Australia. Unfortunately, the first settlers completely destroyed the population of these birds, so only one species of emu is currently known. These amazing birds were killed for meat. Their fat was used to make oil, which was used for medicinal purposes and as fuel. Nowadays, emus are destroyed because they cause significant harm to agriculture. Emus also drink water and eat grass in pastures where flocks of sheep graze. The emu population on the Australian continent has survived, despite all government programs to exterminate them. People's concern for emus is manifested in the fact that they arrange drinking bowls for these birds.

LIFESTYLE

Outside the nesting season, emus stay in small groups. During dry periods they form flocks of thousands. Emus are nomadic birds. They travel vast distances in search of food. Emus are perfectly adapted for travel, so only during the nesting period, when males incubate the eggs, do they stay in one place for a long time. Having found a rich food source, they accumulate fat. Thanks to this, the bird, whose weight is 45 kg, survives in times of famine, when its weight decreases to 30 kg (males lose up to one-third of their weight during incubation).

FOOD

Emu chooses its food very carefully. Prefers nourishing food, that is, seeds, plant buds and fruits. It also eats succulent roots. The emu does not eat grass or dry branches even when there is no better food. Emu also eats insects, lizards and rodents, especially if there are a lot of them. Swallows pebbles, which promotes better digestion of food in the stomach. Some pebbles can be quite large and weigh up to 50 g.

The emu requires regular watering, and is also an excellent swimmer. Thanks to nutritious food, little ostrich chicks grow up quite quickly. The large amount of food and its availability is the reason for the rapid increase in the number of this species.

GENERAL PROVISIONS

There are fewer and fewer birds; on the island of Tasmania they were destroyed back in the 19th century.

The emu is a flightless bird. Its weight is 55 kg, height is 170 cm. It lives throughout Australia, they can be found in steppes and semi-deserts. Nests are made on the ground from tightly packed grass. Here they lay 8-10 eggs, which are incubated by the father. They feed on fresh grass shoots, seeds, berries, and can also feast on locusts and grasshoppers. They often spoil the harvest by eating crops in the fields. Therefore, they are often hunted by farmers.

• The first Australian settlers used emu eggs to make an omelet. Several people could get enough of one egg. The yolk of an emu egg contains a lot of fat, so cooks typically poured the eggs out of their shells, left them overnight to cool, and skimmed off the fat the next day before frying them.
• Australians use the disrespectful expression "stupid as an emu". The birds received the name “emu” for their piercing calling cry “um-uh”.
• 3,000 caterpillars were found in the stomach of one emu, shot during a punitive expedition.
• The emu is an incredibly interesting bird. There are many stories told about how he behaves while searching for food. One emu drank paint from a can, and then swallowed the can itself.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF EMU. DESCRIPTION

Chicks: have a striped color.

Plumage: long feathers hanging separately, usually dark or gray-brown.

Wings: small, absolutely not suitable for flight. In hot weather, emus fan themselves with them to cool off.

Nest and eggs: the male builds a flat nest 1 m in diameter and lines it with grass and branches. The female lays 7-8 large, olive-green eggs.

Legs: long and strong. The emu covers long distances at a fast pace. The feet have three toes.

- Emu habitat

WHERE DOES IT LIVE?

The emu lives in the scrubby sandy deserts and steppes of Australia and on the island of Tasmania.

SECURITY AND PRESERVATION

In Australia, the emu is an abundant species that is not endangered, although its habitats are being destroyed and replaced by agricultural land. In many regions, emu numbers are under constant control.

Ostrich Emu, stupid Emu. Video (00:01:36)

The emu is a large Australian bird from the cassowary order. Emus were previously classified as ostriches, but the classification was revised in the 1980s.
The emu is a bit like a cassowary, but does not have leathery growths on the neck and a “helmet”. Also, the emu has three toes on each foot, while the ostrich has two. The bird's length ranges from 150 to 190 cm, and its weight ranges from 30 to 55 kg. Emus can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. This speed is achieved thanks to the long legs, which allow the birds to take steps up to 280 cm. Emus have no teeth, so they swallow glass, stones and pieces of metal to grind food in their stomach.

Tango emu/Tango emu. Video (00:01:42)

Emu bird. Video (00:04:20)

Kharkov, zoo, Emu ostrich, purebred chickens. Video (00:02:42)

Emu eggs are healthy, just like chicken eggs. They don't even differ in their cooking methods. The weight of one egg is from 450 g. up to 1800g, which is equal to approximately 25-40 chicken eggs. The largest egg with a diameter of 18.67 cm and a weight of 2350 g. was registered in China.

The shell of an emu egg is very dense and durable, despite this it is quite easy to break. It is dark green, almost black, and the eggs themselves have a rich yolk and translucent white.

Eggs are not available for free sale in our country. You can only purchase them from the breeder in the spring and summer, because... Only during this period do emus lay eggs. It will take about 75-80 minutes to boil such a huge egg.

The first mentions of emu ostriches (including eggs) appeared in the 1st-2nd century BC. At least they are depicted on the tomb of one Chinese emperor from the Han Dynasty. Then they spread to the territory of what is now Central Asia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan. In the twentieth century, they appeared in the Arabian and Syrian deserts. At the moment, ostrich farms where this bird is raised are very common in Ukraine and Russia.

Some Polish restaurants prepare huge scrambled eggs from such eggs; they can feed about 10 people. Emu eggs are also used for baking (mainly in factories), because... they have a strong taste. It is added to salads and fried omelettes.

The shelf life of intact eggs is about 3 months, but a broken egg can be divided into portions and stored in the refrigerator for about 2-3 days.

There are other uses for emu eggs. Due to their similarity to porcelain, they are perfect for engraving and painting, as well as for the production of souvenirs in the decoupage style.

Calorie content of emu eggs

The product contains almost 160 kcal, it is quite fatty and nutritious. This is a protein food with a low level of carbohydrates, which overweight people should not indulge in.

Nutritional value per 100 grams:

Beneficial properties of emu eggs

Composition and presence of nutrients

Emu eggs contain a huge amount of useful substances similar to the substances contained in chicken eggs. They are considered a dietary product because... they have very low cholesterol content. It is in these eggs that the level of harmful substances is lower than in poultry eggs. This product is hypoallergenic, rich in microelements and vitamins.

Emu eggs also contain polyunsaturated acids, which help maintain the cardiovascular system.

Use in cooking

Eggs are used in cooking to prepare various snacks, casseroles and baked goods.

Emu eggs make a wonderful light snack. To do this, boil the egg until tender, peel and cut into rings. Each ring should be spread with a thin layer of butter, placed like a cake on a plate and poured with mustard and cream sauce.

The decoration of each table will be a dish called “scramble”. First you need to cut 150 g of ham into small slices and chop a bunch of green onions. Crush one and a half teaspoons of dill seeds in a mortar. Next, in a large bowl, you need to beat the emu egg and milk, adding 1 teaspoon of ground paprika, then add ham, green onions, dill seeds and salt to taste. Grease a baking dish with butter and pour the resulting mixture into it. Place in the oven, heated to 160 degrees. Cooking time is approximately 15-17 minutes.

Dangerous properties of emu eggs

Emu eggs are very similar in composition to chicken eggs and are considered difficult to digest due to their high cholesterol content. In addition, excess cholesterol clogs blood vessels and, therefore, contributes to the appearance of wrinkles and bags under the eyes, and also leads to

In this article we will talk about the emu - an amazing bird, one of the largest, deprived of the ability to fly, but a very interesting representative of the animal world.

What does an emu look like?

This original ostrich grows to 1.5–1.8 meters, while gaining weight from 35 to 55 kg.

The bird has a dense body, a small head and a long pale blue neck with sparse gray-brown and brown feathers that absorb the radiation of the sun, and a spacious (more than 0.3 m) thin-walled pouch with a trachea located on it. The eyes are round, protected by a nictitating membrane. The bird has a pink beak with a curved end and no teeth.
The emu is not a flying bird, and therefore its wings are almost undeveloped: they lack flight and tail feathers. The length of the wings is no more than 25 cm, but at their ends there is a growth in the form of a claw.

Strong and developed legs without feathers allow the bird to take a step of 2.5 meters and run up to 50 kilometers per hour over a short distance. The ostrich has three toes on each foot with very sharp claws.

The plumage of this bird deserves special attention: it is designed in such a way that the emu does not overheat in hot weather and does not freeze in cold weather. The feathers are soft, brownish-gray.

What is the difference between an emu and an ostrich?

Although the emu is classified as an ostrich (by the way, very conditionally: the closest relative of the emu is not the ostrich, but the cassowary), this bird has certain differences from them, for example:

1. The ostrich is much larger than the emu, its weight can reach 150 kg, and the emu is 2–3 times less.
2. The ostrich has a place on its chest that is not covered with feathers, the emu does not.
3. Ostriches have 2 toes on their feet, while emus have 3.
4. Ostrich feathers are loose and curly, while emu feathers are structured, reminiscent of wool.
5. Emus, unlike ostriches, have limited monogamy: one or two females.
6. Emus lay dark-colored eggs, while ostriches lay white eggs.

Where does it live?

The bird lives mainly in Australia, in the savannah, where there is a lot of grass and bushes, but it can also be found in Tasmania. Does not like noisy and populated areas, dry places and dense forests. A favorite place to visit is sown fields, which cause significant harm. Emu is a solitary animal, but sometimes it can be in a group of 3–5 individuals.

Did you know? An ostrich has larger eyes than an elephant's.

Lifestyle and character

By nature, this bird is a nomad: it moves from place to place mainly in search of food, and with its long stride, covering several tens of kilometers is not at all difficult.

In the daytime, in the hottest sun, he rests somewhere in the shade, in the thickets, but in the evening, when the heat subsides, the emu becomes active, but only in the evening, night for him is a time of deep sleep. To do this, he settles down on the ground, stretches his neck and sleeps like that. But it’s better for him to doze while sitting, with his eyes half closed.
It is believed that the emu is a stupid bird, but its stupidity is more than compensated for by its caution: even when feeding, it periodically stretches its neck and listens to what is happening around, and if it smells something bad, it will begin to run away from danger. However, the bird has almost no enemies in the wild - its claws on its feet can kill.

Emu loves to be on his own, not getting close to people or large representatives of the animal world, but sometimes he does not mind joining a small group of relatives. In natural conditions it lives up to 15 years, but in captivity - up to 25.

Did you know? An ostrich can kill a lion with a kick.

What does the emu eat?

He is not picky about food, rather, he is omnivorous, but the basis of his diet is plants. It usually feeds in the morning. It can also eat mice, lizards, insects, and small birds. He swallows the food, and then throws small pebbles and sand into his stomach, which already grind the food that got there earlier.
Water in his diet is not the main thing; he can live without it for a long time. You can quench your thirst in a body of water you encounter along the way, as well as swim.

Reproduction

At approximately the age of two years, emus undergo puberty, and in the coming December–January, the breeding season begins, which is preceded by mating games. First, the male calls the female with his special sounds, then they stand opposite each other, lower their heads to the ground and swing them in different directions, and then go to the laying site prepared in advance by the male - a small depression in the ground, lined with leaves and dry grass.

The female lays one egg, usually every day, but sometimes this happens every other day or two. On average, there are from 11 to 20 pieces weighing 700–900 g each.
In the photo on the left (dark green) are emu eggs, on the right (white) are ostrich eggs And here dad hatches eggs and this is a difficult period for him: for about two months he leaves the nest only to eat and drink, and even then not far and not for long at all. After 56 days, the chicks appear, covered with down and already sighted; after 2–3 days they are already able to leave the nest, and after another day they can accompany their dad from behind, wherever he goes.

For the next 7–8 months, only the father takes care of the offspring; the female does not take any part in the future life of the offspring.

Did you know? Emu's brain and eyes are the same size.

Why has their number decreased so much?

The main reason for the decline in the number of these birds is their destruction by humans.

In the 20–30s of the last century, agriculture began to actively develop in Australia, and the area of ​​cultivated land expanded significantly. At the same time, the emu population, which had sharply increased due to migration, began to raid farms and cultivated lands in search of easy food. They ate and damaged crops, broke holes in fences, through which rodents then entered.
The Australian government has received tens of thousands of complaints from farmers about ostrich infestations and the damage they cause. The so-called “war on the emu” was started, when they tried to shoot the birds (three hunters were assigned, two Lewis light machine guns and ten thousand rounds of ammunition were allocated). And when this method did not bring the expected results, the government resumed the previously introduced system of incentives for the independent elimination of ostriches. As a result, over 57 thousand of these birds were destroyed in just six months of 1934.

The ability of emus to adapt to new conditions and unpretentiousness to food have become the reason for their active farming, including in northern countries. Let's consider the conditions for keeping these exotic birds and caring for them.

Premises requirements

When equipping the premises, the following requirements should be taken into account:

1. Square. When kept in stalls, the calculation per adult is 10–15 square meters. m, and for a growing child - 5 sq. m.
2. The bedding should be thick and comfortable.
3. Timely cleaning and disinfection of the floor.
4. Ensuring constant air circulation (enough if there are opening windows).
5. Maintaining optimal temperature conditions - from +10 to +24°C, and up to +30°C in winter and during hatching.
6. Equipment with feeders and drinkers, taking into account the growth of the livestock.

Aviary for walking

The area should be spacious, for an adult at least 50–60 square meters. m. with a separate pen with a canopy so that the birds can hide from the sun.
The fence of the enclosure should be equipped with a height of 1.5–1.8 m. Fine mesh is optimal for the fence - the emu will not be able to stick his head through and get injured.

Important! The sharp edges of the fencing mesh should be sanded - this will protect the ostriches from injury.

How to cope with winter cold

These ostriches adapt well to cold weather and can feel good even at -20°C.

What to feed

At home, cereals are suitable as food, freshly cut grass in the summer, and hay in the winter.
Mineral and vitamin complexes, grain mash, bone meal, chicken eggs, meat and bread are used as feed additives. Half of the bird's diet should consist of succulent and roughage.

Important! An adult emu should receive no more than three kilograms of food per day. Otherwise, overeating will begin, which, in turn, will lead to excess weight and curvature of the limbs.

Emu eggs and meat: benefits, use in cooking

Speaking about emu eggs, it should be noted that they are a storehouse of useful nutrients. They contain:

1. Phosphorus.
2. Iron.
3. B vitamins - folic acid and cobalamins.
4. Retinol.
5. Calciferol.

Eggs contain about 68% healthy polyunsaturated fats and 31% saturated fats, and they also contain 8 essential amino acids.

Until recently, emus were called Australian ostriches. But science does not stand still, and today it decided differently.

Now modern scientists have proven that emus are not even ostriches at all, although many continue to call them that. Emu birds are closer in family ties to the cassowary order. These flightless, long-legged birds are the only species of the emu genus existing on the planet.

What does an emu look like?

These are very large birds, in appearance they are very similar to ostriches. The emu's body length reaches 150 - 180 centimeters.

The weight of an adult emu is about 40–50 kilograms. These birds cannot fly.

Emu is an Australian aborigine.

Unlike representatives of ostriches, emus have looser feather cover, in other words, the plumage of these birds is more like wool. The color of the feathers is predominantly brown-black. The head and neck are painted black. The limbs are long.

What territories does the emu inhabit?

These are exclusively Australian birds. They live both on the continent of Australia and on the island of Tasmania.

Lifestyle and behavior in nature, as well as nutrition of emus

Emus prefer open, dry areas. They are attracted to bushes and grass savannas. Sometimes emus graze on the outskirts of deserts, but do not go to the center of the desert.

By way of life, these are sedentary birds. And why would they migrate somewhere if they have enough food all year round, they have no enemies, and they don’t know how to fly. True, partial seasonal migrations are sometimes observed, but this only applies to the population living in western Australia.

Emus do not form large herds. Most often they can be seen in small groups: 3 - 5 individuals.

Adult emus have the ability to run fast - they can reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. If these birds are not disturbed, they are quite harmless and friendly.

The emu's diet consists of various types of plants, as well as small animals: insects, lizards. Birds do not need constant drinking. Because their body uses moisture very efficiently. They only get drunk on occasion.

Emus are very fond of water procedures: they bathe with pleasure.

Emu breeding

Another feature of these birds is the breeding of offspring. At first, everything seems to be going as usual. But after laying eggs, it is not the female who incubates them, but the male. The expectant mother shows absolute indifference to her clutch. While the male is sitting on the nest, the female can go and begin to mate with another male.

Female emus are irresponsible mother hens.

One brood consists of 7 - 8 eggs, which weigh 700 - 900 grams. The shell color ranges from greenish blue to dark blue. Incubation of the clutch lasts about 55–60 days. Small emus are born with a striped downy coat. They become fully adults by the age of two years.

In the wild, emus live 10–20 years.

Enemies of the emu

Adults have almost no opponents in nature, but young animals are hunted by dingoes, as well as

The flightless ostrich, which lives in Africa, is the largest modern bird and a record holder. Its Australian relative with the short name Emu takes second place with a height of up to 190 cm and a weight of over 50 kg.

Often referred to as "Emu" or "Australian Emu". Serious mistake! Although the emu resembles an ostrich, it has nothing in common with it. Small wings are hidden in thick forked feathers, which from a distance look like fur. No other bird has such feathers. And the emu has three toes on its paws, not two, like the African.

Emus are widespread throughout Australia. They are omnivores, consuming both plant and protein-rich animal foods. Emus are excellent runners and can run at speeds of up to 50 km per hour. They can also swim and love to swim. The lifespan of these birds in nature is 12-15 years, in captivity - up to 30 years.

They usually live alone or in pairs, but sometimes they form groups of 4 to 9 birds. When the time comes, the female lays 5-8 kilogram green eggs in the nesting hole. Sometimes 2-3 females come to one nest, and then there can be 15-20 eggs. The male takes care of them, and his girlfriends leave, go off to spend time for their own pleasure and no longer think about family matters.

For two months, the future parent warms the eggs with the heat of her body, not forgetting to turn them over in a timely manner for uniform heating. All this time he does not eat or drink, but only loses weight, sometimes losing up to 30%. For the first 24 hours after hatching, striped emus chicks sit in the nest, gain strength, and then go for their first feeding after their proud father.

The male emu is an exemplary parent. For a whole six months, and sometimes a year and a half, he accompanies his chicks everywhere, teaches them to find food and vigilantly monitors for danger. Dad fiercely protects the children from any creatures that come nearby, and even their mother can get a beating from him. But the emu father treats other people’s chicks calmly, including older ones, and allows them to walk with him.

The relationship between man and this bird was not easy. In 1932, farmers in western Australia asked to exterminate emus, which were destroying wheat crops and breaking fences. A major and two soldiers with machine guns were sent to help the farmers. The emus died, but their numbers did not decrease, and after half a month of “combat operations,” the warriors were recalled. The cessation of the inglorious operation was also helped by the newspapers, which made noise about the “Great Emu War”...

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