|
Our big, bushy birds
The emu is the third largest living flightless bird, weighing up
to 120 pounds. They have three-toed feet and hairy, hanging,
barb-like plumage that gives them a shaggy appearance. These huge
creatures lay dark blue-green eggs that are difficult to crack. They live in the desert and woodlands in their native habitat of Australia.
We have five emus living in the buffer pasture and
at the Children's Animal Center. The emus here browse on some plants
and eat pelleted feed.
In the footsteps of giants
Emus are part of the ratite family of birds, which includes the ostrich, cassowary, and kiwi.
The leg bones of ratites and dinosaurs are identical in structure, and differ from those of typical birds.
Fossilized early ratite bones have even been mistakenly identified as dinosaur parts.
As comparisons of their tracks show, our living birds walk and stand much like the extinct stars
of Jurassic Park.
|
