THE ANIMAL FILES

Emu

Dromaius novaehollandiae

Flightless does not mean without useful feathers.

Emus run on powerful, three-toed hindlimbs. Shaggy feathers help insulate the body, while plants, seeds, fruit and arthropods contribute to a diet that changes with season.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
Emu
Image: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) · Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Wings
Small wings remain despite flightlessness[1]
Daily rhythm
Mainly active during the day[1]
Menu
Plant foods plus insects and other arthropods[1]

Small wings, strong legs

The emu has reduced wings but powerful hindlimbs and three-toed feet. Its small wings can move while it runs, even though they cannot provide flight.[1]

Feathers around a walking bird

Shaggy feathers form an insulating covering. Dark outer tips absorb solar radiation while the looser layers nearer the skin help limit its transfer inward. The plumage protects a running bird even though it no longer provides flight.[1]

Following changing food

Plants, seeds, fruit and arthropods all contribute to the diet, with seasonal changes in what is available. Viable seeds can pass through the bird and be deposited elsewhere after it has eaten fruit.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Are wings completely absent in a flightless emu?

No. Small wings remain. Flight ability and the anatomical presence of wings are separate observations.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

How can eating a fruit help move a plant?

Reveal the explanation

Viable seeds can be deposited elsewhere after passage through the bird. Feeding and movement together can produce dispersal.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Dromaius novaehollandiae (adapted and translated; exact revision)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Dromaius novaehollandiae (identity and game lineage)

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

Southern cassowaryA forest-floor fruit eater with a father on nest duty.Casuarius casuarius ↗Common ostrichA lowered neck is not a head buried in sand.Struthio camelus ↗Okarito kiwiA familiar-looking kiwi population turned out to need its own species name.Apteryx rowi ↗