What Do Emus Eat?

Not many people are aware of what do emus eat since emus are rarely kept as a pet. Emu is a large flightless bird and is endemic to Australia. Its twin cousin is Ostrich. These birds usually devoid populated areas. Emus have an extraordinary ability to detect predators from far apart. When emus sense danger, they run at a great speed which is the ultimate defense of these birds. With their exceptionally strong legs, they can tear out even wire fence on their way.

Emus predominantly feed on insects, flowers and several types of plants. The primary insects include grasshoppers, crickets, caterpillars, bogong, lady birds, leaves, pods, saltbush, lizards, small invertebrates, moth, larvae, and ants. These insects comprise the regular diet of emus for the reason that they contain proteins which are the primary requirements of these flightless birds. Emus travel too much in Western Australia and for the same reason they largely feed on seeds in this part of the world. Though occasionally, emus also eat wheat, crops and fruits of any kind that are within their reach. Like ostriches, emus also swallow stones or small pebbles so as to ensure a smooth digestion process. The weight of a single eatable stone is about 45 grams (1.6 oz); however, these birds have the capacity to withhold more than 700 grams of stones at one time. Under captivity, emus have also eaten non-eatables apart from stones, such as jewelry, nuts, glass, bolts, and marbles. Now you got an idea of what do emus eat?

Emus are not the regular drinkers however when they drink it goes to the large amount. One of the strange emu habits is that these flightless birds tend to examine water before drinking. Conservationists hold that emus drink water constantly for 10 minutes. Owing to the dry environment, emus had to go by couple of days without drinking water. Emus feel comfortable in drinking water with animals like deer, donkeys, camels, and kangaroos. Baby emus usually eat ratites.

Where Do Emus Live?

European explorers were the first to discover emus back in 1696 when they visited Western Australia. These birds are native to Australia and were previously termed as Tasmanian Bird for the reason that few of these species once lived in Tasmania. Apart from Tasmania, they are also found in King Islands. Recently, these birds have been introduced in India and North America however, still they’re not as extensively found in these areas as in Australia. They are also found in scrublands or grasslands in New South Wales.