Emus - flightless, feisty and feminist
From as far back as my earliest memories I have had a passion for animals. All animals!
Birds have held an extra special place in my heart though and there are a number of reasons why.
Bird brains are very unique and many species of bird are highly intelligent - this has always fascinated me. The diversity of birds in Australia is staggering. I never get bored with birds. I am privileged to work with our largest birds such as wedge-tailed eagles, pelicans, swans and yet also work with willy wagtails, silvereyes, honeyeaters and everything in between. Insect eaters, fish eaters, carnivores, seed eaters and omnivores. Specialised diets and behaviours.
Birds are the ultimate challenge and always keep you on your toes. The main attraction to birds to me as a child was their ability of independent flight, and it still is.
I’d always imagine how they must feel to be able to spread their wings so easily and take flight, in the air, above the world. For me, this always felt like the epitome of freedom. I always wished I had the same freedom of flight which birds possess.
There is a bird which holds just as much fascination and awe in me though that goes against all those things...the emu. The emu cannot fly. It does not possess an impressive wingspan and the emu brain is considered one of the least intelligent in the bird world.
Despite these shortcomings emus are pretty damn special. Emus really are a relic of the past. Their legs and feet are akin to what I’d imagine some of the dinosaurs would have possessed. Their straw like feathers are not refined and are held together by barbs which birds of flight rely on and their wings are tiny, useless appendages which actually have a tiny claw on the tip which is also useless.
I don’t like to admit it, but emus are a bit short on smarts. They are an inquisitive bird, a bit unpredictable and can be dangerous with their kicks and strength. Emus are up there with full grown kangaroos and wombats for being one of my least favourite animals to capture in the wild because they are not easy animals to wrangle and transport. Also they are capable of inflicting nasty and serious injuries when they are frightened and trying to defend themselves.
I have transported many an emu with horse floats. Sedation is very hit and miss with emus so it can’t be relied on for safety reasons and they really are a challenge.
On the flip side, emu chicks are a delight to raise. They have endearing, quirky characters, make you laugh with their antics at play and they can run like the wind!
Despite the inference of lack of intelligence, female emus leave both the nesting duties and the raising of their young to the males ... this suggests they may not be as dull witted as appearances suggest! The males are loyal, devoted parents and they bear the burden of parenthood with a quiet dignity, protecting eggs and young diligently.
We have several emus which reside at Bohollow. All these birds are on private licence so are not wild birds.
Emus breed and nest during winter so it’s egg laying time now. Females can keep laying eggs for a few months - after all, they are not concerned about parenting duties so they lay as many as they can, they can lay in more than one nest and they trust the males will see their offspring reach independence.
Perhaps female emus, although not having the freedom of flight have evolved to have a totally different kind of freedom!
