"of the Australian government, use ""Dromaius"", with ""Dromiceius"" mentioned as an alternative spelling. The etymology of the common name ""emu"" is uncertain, but is thought to have come from an Arabic word for large bird that was later used by Portuguese explorers to describe the related cassowary in Australia and New Guinea. Another theory is that it comes from the word ""ema"", which is used in Portuguese to denote a large bird akin to an ostrich or crane. In Victoria, some terms for the emu were ""Barrimal"" in the Dja Dja Wurrung language, ""myoure"" in Gunai, and ""courn"" in Jardwadjali."
"Emu The emu (""Dromaius novaehollandiae"") is the second-largest living bird by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus ""Dromaius"". The emu's range covers most of mainland Australia, but the Tasmanian emu and King Island emu subspecies became extinct after the European settlement of Australia in 1788. The bird is sufficiently common for it to be rated as a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Emus are soft-feathered, brown, flightless birds with long necks and legs, and"
"higher now than it was before European settlement, some local populations are at risk of extinction. The threats faced by emus include the clearance and fragmentation of areas of suitable habitat, deliberate slaughter, collisions with vehicles and predation of the eggs and young. Emu The emu (""Dromaius novaehollandiae"") is the second-largest living bird by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus ""Dromaius"". The emu's range covers most of mainland Australia, but the Tasmanian emu and King Island emu subspecies became"
"in Australia at the time of European settlement, and one additional species is known from fossil remains. The insular dwarf emus, ""D. baudinianus"" and ""D. n. minor"", originally present on Kangaroo Island and King Island respectively, both became extinct shortly after the arrival of Europeans. ""D. n. diemenensis"", a subspecies known as the Tasmanian emu, became extinct around 1865. However, the mainland sub-species, ""D. n. novaehollandiae"", remains common. The population of these birds varies from decade to decade, largely being dependent on rainfall; in 2009, it was estimated that there were between 630,000 and 725,000 birds. Emus were introduced to"
"Birds of Australia Australia and its offshore islands and territories have 898 recorded bird species as of 2014. Of the recorded birds, 165 are considered vagrant or accidental visitors, of the remainder over 45% are classified as Australian endemics: found nowhere else on earth. It has been suggested that up to 10% of Australian bird species may go extinct by the year 2100 as a result of climate change. Australian species range from the tiny 8 cm weebill to the huge, flightless emu. Many species of Australian birds will immediately seem familiar to visitors from the Northern Hemisphere - Australian"
"a small bird, who responded by throwing a boomerang, severing the arms of the man and transforming him into a flightless emu. The Kurdaitcha man of Central Australia is said to wear sandals made of emu feathers to mask his footprints. Many Aboriginal language groups throughout Australia have a tradition that the dark dust lanes in the Milky Way represent a giant emu in the sky. Several of the Sydney rock engravings depict emus, and the birds are mimicked in indigenous dances. The emu is popularly but unofficially considered as a faunal emblem – the national bird of Australia. It"
"can be attributed to the continent's long geographic isolation, tectonic stability, and the effects of an unusual pattern of climate change on the soil and flora over geological time. Australia and its territories are home to around 800 species of bird; 45% of these are endemic to Australia. Predominant bird species in Australia include the Australian magpie, Australian raven, the pied currawong, crested pigeons and the laughing kookaburra. The koala, emu, platypus and kangaroo are national animals of Australia, and the Tasmanian devil is also one of the well-known animals in the country. The goanna is a predatory lizard native"
"Pilbara in the northwest. There is also an isolated population found to the east in south-western Queensland bounded by Dajarra, Winton, Fermoy and Boulia. It lives in spinifex shrubland. Rufous-crowned emu-wren The rufous-crowned emu-wren (""Stipiturus ruficeps"") is a species of bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is endemic to Australia. The rufous-crowned emu-wren is one of three species of the genus ""Stipiturus"", commonly known as emu-wrens, found across southern and central Australia. It was first described in 1899 by Archibald James Campbell, more than a century after its relative the southern emu-wren. Its species name is derived from"
"Tasmanian nativehen The Tasmanian native hen (also Tasmanian native-hen or, in some specialist sources, Tasmanian nativehen - see below) (""Tribonyx mortierii"") is a flightless rail and one of twelve species of birds endemic to the Australian island of Tasmania. Although many flightless birds have a history of extinction at the hands of humans, the Tasmanian native hen has actually benefited from the introduction of European-style agricultural practices in Tasmania. Originally described in 1840 as ""Tribonyx mortierii"" — the ""mortierii"" being in honour of Barthélemy Charles Joseph Dumortier — this species goes by various names. Perhaps the majority of academic and"
"Emu-wren The emu-wrens (""Stipiturus"") are a genus of passerine birds in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. They are found only in Australia, where they inhabit scrub, heathland and grassland. They are small birds, 12–19 cm long with the tail accounting for over half of their length. The tail has only six feathers which are loose and coarse in structure, rather like the feathers of the emu. Three species are recognised, one of which is endangered. The common name of the genus is derived from the resemblance of their tails to the feathers of an emu. The genus was defined by"
"Rufous-crowned emu-wren The rufous-crowned emu-wren (""Stipiturus ruficeps"") is a species of bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is endemic to Australia. The rufous-crowned emu-wren is one of three species of the genus ""Stipiturus"", commonly known as emu-wrens, found across southern and central Australia. It was first described in 1899 by Archibald James Campbell, more than a century after its relative the southern emu-wren. Its species name is derived from the Latin words ""rufus"" ""red"" and ""caput"" ""head"". No subspecies are recognised, although birds from Western Australia may have redder plumage, and females more blue on the face and"
"is also home to exotic species such as the Australian flightless bird species of emu and cassowary. The park contains about 138 plant species, including cashew and eucalyptus. The dense vegetation of the park supports about 56 species of butterfly. Animals at the park includes: As part of the park's development plan, safari parks for lion, gaur and deer have been created on a hilly terrain covering an area of , enabling the visitors to see the animals in their natural habitats. The lion park has been developed in an area of at a cost of about 2.358 million and"
"vegetation communities at the Buckaringa Sanctuary. Australian Wildlife Conservancy state that there 60 known species of birds at Buckaringa Sanctuary and 4 known mammals. Some of the bird species are the wedge-tailed eagle (""Aquila audax""), the emu (""Dromaius novaehollandiae""), the sulphur-crested cockatoo (""Cacatua galerita""), the peregrine falcon (""Falco peregrinus""), the sacred kingfisher (""Todiramphus sanctus"") and the blue-winged parrot (""Neophema chrysostoma""). The four mammal species are the western grey kangaroo (""Macropus fuliginosus""), the red kangaroo (""Macropus rufus""), the yellow-footed rock-wallaby (""Petrogale xanthopus"") and the euro (""Macropus robustus erubescens""). Buckaringa holds one of the largest colonies of the threatened yellow-footed rock-wallaby. The"
"Southern emu-wren The southern emu-wren (""Stipiturus malachurus"") is a species of bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation. The southern emu-wren is one of three species of the genus ""Stipiturus"", commonly known as emu-wrens, found across southern and central Australia. It was first characterized by naturalist George Shaw in 1798 as ""Muscicapa malachura"", after being collected in the Port Jackson (Sydney) district. Its species name is derived from the Ancient Greek ""ouros"" ""tail"". It was described as the ""soft-tailed flycatcher"", native name ""mur-re-a-nera"" when painted"
"Southern emu-wren The southern emu-wren (""Stipiturus malachurus"") is a species of bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation. The southern emu-wren is one of three species of the genus ""Stipiturus"", commonly known as emu-wrens, found across southern and central Australia. It was first characterized by naturalist George Shaw in 1798 as ""Muscicapa malachura"", after being collected in the Port Jackson (Sydney) district. Its species name is derived from the Ancient Greek ""ouros"" ""tail"". It was described as the ""soft-tailed flycatcher"", native name ""mur-re-a-nera"" when painted"
"weight. The eggs hatch after around eight weeks, and the young are nurtured by their fathers. They reach full size after around six months, but can remain as a family unit until the next breeding season. The emu is an important cultural icon of Australia, appearing on the coat of arms and various coins. The bird features prominently in Indigenous Australian mythology. Emus were first reported as having been seen by Europeans when explorers visited the western coast of Australia in 1696; this was an expedition led by Dutch captain Willem de Vlamingh who was searching for survivors of a"
"from Java. From there it was named by François Levaillant as the gauze-tailed warbler. This mistake was not picked up for another 55 years. Veillot defined the genus ""Malurus"" and placed the southern emu-wren within it, naming it as ""Malurus palustris"". The southern emu-wren derives its common name from its tail feathers, the loosely barbed nature of which resembles feathers of the emu, the irony being that the emu-wrens are among the smallest of Australian birds, while the emu is the largest. Up to eleven subspecies have been described, with eight currently recognised: The adult male has rusty-brown upperparts with"
"other lice, ticks, mites and flies. Chicks sometimes suffer from intestinal tract infections caused by coccidian protozoa, and the nematode ""Trichostrongylus tenuis"" infects the emu as well as a wide range of other birds, causing haemorrhagic diarrhoea. Other nematodes are found in the trachea and bronchi; ""Syngamus trachea"" causing haemorrhagic tracheitis and ""Cyathostoma variegatum"" causing serious respiratory problems in juveniles. Emus were used as a source of food by indigenous Australians and early European settlers. Emus are inquisitive birds and have been known to approach humans if they see unexpected movement of a limb or piece of clothing. In the"
"that there is a single race in mainland Australia. Examination of the DNA of the King Island emu shows this bird to be closely related to the mainland emu and hence best treated as a subspecies. The emu is the second tallest bird in the world, only being exceeded in height by the ostrich; the largest individuals can reach up to in height. Measured from the bill to the tail, emus range in length from , with males averaging and females averaging . Emus weigh between , with an average of in males and females, respectively. Females are usually slightly"
"episode, the animals of Australia are examined. The theme of ""weirdness"" among Australia's native creatures (compared to the rest of the world) is explored by taking a look at mammals, birds and reptiles. The kangaroo, echinda, platypus, riflebird, bowerbird, lyrebird, emu, malleefowl, frilled lizard, water-holding frog, dingo, koala, and more are all featured. This episode contains five songs (not counting Spin's marsupial rap). The first one is about Australia and how unique it is (Down Under); the second focuses on kangaroos (Wait Up, Kangaroo); the third focuses on the strange adaptations of animals in Australia (Proud to Be Strange); the"
"Australasian wren The Australasian wrens are a family, Maluridae, of small, insectivorous passerine birds endemic to Australia and New Guinea. While commonly known as wrens, they are unrelated to the true wrens of the Northern Hemisphere. The family comprises 29 species (including fifteen fairywrens, three emu-wrens, and eleven grasswrens) in six genera. As with many other Australian creatures, and perhaps more than most, the species making up this family were comprehensively misunderstood by early researchers. They were variously classified as Old World flycatchers, Old World warblers, and Old World babblers. In the late 1960s morphological studies began to suggest that"
"country include the Australian magpie, Australian raven, the pied currawong, crested pigeons and the laughing kookaburra. The koala, emu, platypus and kangaroo are national animals of Australia, and the Tasmanian devil is also one of the well-known animals in the country. The goanna is a predatory lizard native to the Australian mainland. The birds of New Zealand evolved into an avifauna that included a large number of endemic species. As an island archipelago New Zealand accumulated bird diversity and when Captain James Cook arrived in the 1770s he noted that the bird song was deafening. The mix includes species with"
"Platypus The platypus (""Ornithorhynchus anatinus""), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. Together with the four species of echidna, it is one of the five extant species of monotremes, the only mammals that lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. The animal is the sole living representative of its family (Ornithorhynchidae) and genus (""Ornithorhynchus""), though a number of related species appear in the fossil record. The first scientists to examine a preserved platypus body (in 1799) judged it a fake, made of several animals sewn together. The"
"mountains, lakes, hills, plains, creeks and waterholes. During the 19th and 20th centuries, many Australian companies and household products were named after the bird. In Western Australia, Emu beer has been produced since the early 20th century and the Swan Brewery continues to produce a range of beers branded as ""Emu"". The quarterly peer-reviewed journal of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union, also known as Birds Australia, is entitled ""Emu: Austral Ornithology"". The comedian Rod Hull featured a wayward emu puppet in his act for many years and the bird returned to the small screen in the hands of his son"
"of the smallest, the rufous-crowned, to 7.5 g of the southern emu-wren. The three species of emu-wrens each live in distinct habitats: the southern emu-wren preferring marshes and heathland, the mallee emu-wren inhabiting spinifex understory in mallee woodland, and the rufous-crowned emu-wren dwelling in spinifex in desert areas. Emu-wrens are fairly secretive and hard to spot, living in low shrub cover. They are predominantly insectivorous, but supplement their diet with seeds. Their furtive behaviour and brown colour has resulted in them being mistaken for bush mice. Emu-wren The emu-wrens (""Stipiturus"") are a genus of passerine birds in the Australasian wren"
"Fauna Guarantee Action Statement have been drafted for the species in Victoria (DSE 2007). Bushfires in the Ngarkat Conservation Park in 2014 rendered the mallee emu-wren ""functionally extinct"" in South Australia, but initial reintroductions of captive-bred birds from Victoria have shown signs of success. Mallee emu-wren The mallee emu-wren (""Stipiturus mallee"") is a species of bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitat is temperate grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss. The mallee emu-wren is one of three species of the genus ""Stipiturus"", commonly known as emu-wrens. It was first described in"
"Southern cassowary The southern cassowary (""Casuarius casuarius""), also known as double-wattled cassowary, Australian cassowary or two-wattled cassowary, is a large flightless black bird. It is a ratite and therefore related to emu, ostrich, and the ""Rhea"" and Kiwi genera. (See also dwarf cassowary and northern cassowary.) Presently, most authorities consider the southern cassowary monotypic, but several subspecies have been described. It has proven very difficult to confirm the validity of these due to individual variations, age-related variations, the relatively few available specimens (and the bright skin of the head and neck – the basis upon which several subspecies have been"
"occurrence range of , and between 10,000 and 20,000 birds were estimated in a 2002 study, with between 1,500 and 2,500 in Australia. Southern cassowaries have been bred in many zoos around the world, like at White Oak Conservation in Yulee, Florida, United States. Southern cassowary The southern cassowary (""Casuarius casuarius""), also known as double-wattled cassowary, Australian cassowary or two-wattled cassowary, is a large flightless black bird. It is a ratite and therefore related to emu, ostrich, and the ""Rhea"" and Kiwi genera. (See also dwarf cassowary and northern cassowary.) Presently, most authorities consider the southern cassowary monotypic, but several"
"the god of war. Brahminy kite The brahminy kite (""Haliastur indus""), also known as the red-backed sea-eagle in Australia, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers. They are found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia. They are found mainly on the coast and in inland wetlands, where they feed on dead fish and other prey. Adults have a reddish-brown body plumage contrasting with their white head and breast which make them easy to distinguish from other birds of prey. The brahminy kite"
"Mallee emu-wren The mallee emu-wren (""Stipiturus mallee"") is a species of bird in the Australasian wren family, Maluridae. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitat is temperate grassland. It is threatened by habitat loss. The mallee emu-wren is one of three species of the genus ""Stipiturus"", commonly known as emu-wrens. It was first described in 1908 by Archibald James Campbell, and has been considered a subspecies of both of the other two species; with anywhere from one to three species recognised in total. No subspecies are recognised. The common name of the genus is derived from the resemblance of"
"the survey that help fill the distributional gaps include the Pacific baza, little bronze-cuckoo, figbird and white-breasted whistler. Pungalina-Seven Emu Sanctuary Pungalina-Seven Emu Sanctuary is a 3060 km nature reserve in the Northern Territory of Australia. It is managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) which purchased Pungalina Station in 2009, with some assistance from the Wildlife Australia Fund. It adjoins the Gulf of Carpentaria near the border with Queensland, lying in the Gulf Coastal bioregion. The reserve is bordered by Calvert Hills and Wollogorang Stations to the south and east. The nearest town is Borroloola, 150 km to the"
"Brahminy kite The brahminy kite (""Haliastur indus""), also known as the red-backed sea-eagle in Australia, is a medium-sized bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors, such as eagles, buzzards, and harriers. They are found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia. They are found mainly on the coast and in inland wetlands, where they feed on dead fish and other prey. Adults have a reddish-brown body plumage contrasting with their white head and breast which make them easy to distinguish from other birds of prey. The brahminy kite is distinctive and contrastingly"
"a thin wall, and an opening long. Once common on the east coast of Australia, emus are now uncommon there; by contrast, the development of agriculture and the provision of water for stock in the interior of the continent have increased the range of the emu in arid regions. Emus live in various habitats across Australia both inland and near the coast. They are most common in areas of savannah woodland and sclerophyll forest, and least common in heavily populated districts and arid areas with annual precipitation of less than . Emus predominately travel in pairs, and while they can"