Ethan Freeman

Neha Mittal
Bio 1110 Lab
29 March 2016

Animal Behavior: Emu at Lazy 5 Ranch

The emu is an avian creature, closely related to the ostrich, and a distant, yet
genetically similar, cousin to the dinosaurs. It is the second largest bird on the planet, and
can be quite intimidating, with some adults standing over 5 feet tall(Emufacts.com,
2016). These birds can sprint up to 31 miles per hour, significantly faster than Olympic
Gold Medalist Usain Bolt, who tops out at 28. They can live as long as 30 years, but this
is uncommon, and the average lifespan is between 10 and 20. Typically, They are only
found naturally in Australia, and prefer hot, dry climates. Females, called hens, can lay
20-50 eggs in a mating season, and can begin laying eggs as early as 16 months old.
Emus consume only fruits and seeds, but they have been known to eat insects and even
small reptiles(Sybilsden.com, 2016).
The environment during observation was warm, dry, and full of motorists rolling
along very slowly. The emu seemed to be used to being around a high number of slowmoving cars. There were a lot of trees around, but there were also open areas with
nothing but dirt, and some grass. There were areas of shade, provided by the trees, but it
was a rather sunny day. The sky had few clouds, and it was about 4pm, so it was still
pretty hot, being august in NC. The region has rather erratic weather patterns, with

fluctuations of up to 30 degrees in a day, but emus are used to desert-like fluctuations,

which can be much greater.
The emu didnt really interact with any of the other animals. Instead, it went from
car to car, having been conditioned to go up to car windows to get food. He simply stuck
his head in the windows, pecked violently at the bucket of food, and went about his
business. He then repeated this with each subsequent car, never worrying, never rushing,
only walking around, eating food out of buckets while people took pictures, He displayed
a very carefree attitude, almost like a housecat, knowing that nothing was really expected
of him, and that he would be fed and be okay.
I think the emu I observed acted the way it was conditioned to act. It goes up to
passing cars for food, it doesnt attack, and it gets to continue living life leisurely, never
having to worry about food or predation. The female emus were a bit larger, but there
were no other apparent sexual dimorphisms. It is very possible that the nice weather and
moderate temperature encouraged the emu to be more social, as it would have been less
likely to interact under inclement weather conditions, favoring shelter. It is important to
note that the animal I observed never really demonstrated any wild behaviors, such as
loud or aggressive displays, largely due to the fact that it was comfortable, and not at all
distressed. The behaviors were most certainly learned. The emu was far too calm around
people and other, larger animals to have been given no conditioning.

Works Cited
" EMU CARE SHEET." Emu Care Sheet. Accessed March 29, 2016.
http://www.sybilsden.com/caresheet/emus.htm.
"The Emu Bird - From Australian Outback to American Ranches." The Emu Bird,
from Australian Outback to American Ranches. Accessed March 29, 2016.
http://www.emufacts.com/the-emu-bird.shtm.