The emu and the ostrich are the world’s two largest birds. Both birds cannot fly, but they make up for it by being extremely quick runners. Birds that have long necks and legs like Emus and Ostrich are similar to each other.
The emu, the world’s second-biggest bird, is indigenous to Australia, whereas the ostrich, the world’s largest bird, is found only in Africa. On the other hand, Feathers on emus are a rich, dark brown, while those on ostrich males and females are dark black. We’ll go into more detail about the distinctions between them in this post;
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Ostrich:
The ostrich is the biggest bird in the bird family and on this planet who lives in Africa. Ostriches can run at forty five miles per hour on their muscular two-toed legs. A muscular ostrich also can kill a grown adult with a single stomp of its feet.
The plant matter is the bulk of its food, but it also consumes invertebrates. It typically weighs between 120 and 160 kilograms, which is equivalent to the weight of two adults.
It can tolerate severe temperatures and survive for two weeks without drinking, like a camel. It has a 40- to 50-year lifespan. It eats anything and everything. While the female ostrich has a gray-brown coloration, the male ostrich is black and white. The ostrich can run up to 45 miles per hour and compete with riders.
Emu
The emu is the 2nd largest bird. Originally from Australia, this bird can be seen nowhere else. The feathers of the male and female emu are both dark brown. Long, muscular legs and three toes are some of their distinguishing features. Emus are efficient runners, with a top speed of 30 miles per hour by outrunning numerous predators.
These birds can survive for a decade or two decades. A male and female emu form a sex pairing while in heat. The females lay 1 pound eggs that are greenish-blue in color. The males take over once the females have laid their eggs. After incubation, male emus take care of the chicks. The oil that emus make, derived from their fat, is well-known. This oil is a popular choice for lowering inflammation and mending wounds. Additionally, emus are farmed for their flesh and skin.
Difference Between Ostrich And Emu?
Size
Emus are smaller than ostriches. There are two types of adult Emus: the female weighs an average of 69 pounds, while the male is 82 pounds, making them much smaller than ostriches, which can weigh between 220 and 265 pounds when fully grown.
The ostrich currently holds the title of biggest bird globally, followed by the emu. Exceptionally giant ostriches can weigh up to 346 pounds. Mature male ostriches can grow to 6 to 9 feet, while female ostriches can reach 5 to 6 feet.
In comparison, an Emus can grow to 4.9 to 6.2 feet. There is a noticeable difference in the female Emus’ rump size between males and females.
Habitat
It’s not uncommon to see ostriches roaming freely across the northern and southern tropical forest zones, which may be found primarily in the arid and semi-arid ecosystems.
Ostriches of the Masai subspecies and the Somali subspecies have not interbred in some locations because of the ecological and behavioral differences between the two species.
However, the Emus used to be in Australia and, in the past, there were hundreds of them on the east coast. The Emus have been forced to relocate to the country’s desert regions due to increased agricultural development in the interior of Australia.
While the Emus can be found in savannas and sclerophyll forests throughout the country, they are less common in locations with less than 24 inches of rainfall.
Reproduction
The father takes care of both eggs and chicks in an emu breeding pair. During the 56-day incubation phase, males refrain from eating or drinking anything. The male keeps track of the chicks until they are 5 to 6 months old. Male ostriches mate with six to seven females, unlike the male emu.
The eggs of all the females are deposited in a single nest. He does it at night, and she does it during daylight hours. The male ostrich teaches its young how to hunt and guard them against predators.
Social Behavior
While ostriches live in pairs during the colder months, breeding season and periods of heavy rains necessitate a nomadic lifestyle. They roam in groups of five to 100 birds headed by a top hen and often accompany other grazing animals.
Despite their unique nature, they may be active at night, particularly on moonlit nights. Ostriches live in warmer areas; so, they are most active in the early morning and late evening hours of the day.
Ostriches are the world’s fastest two-legged creatures, able to reach a maximum speed of 45 miles per hour and maintain a pace of 32 miles per hour.
Emu’s daytime activities include foraging for food and dust bathing. Unless it’s breeding season, they tend to be more pleasant than during the rest of the year.
Emus are capable of swimming across rivers. Their highest speed is 31 miles per hour, but they are not as swift as ostriches. Emus can travel large distances and live without nourishment for weeks.
Similarity Between Emu And Ostrich
While an emu and an ostrich have many distinctions, they are also similar enough to be considered related. They are big, flightless, long-legged ratites, almost identical cousins in the bird family tree.
Even though they are distantly related, emus and ostriches cannot breed because emus deposit their eggs in the winter while ostriches do so in the summer or late spring. As a result, breeding these two birds may be complicated by the timing of their mating and egg-laying cycles.
Which Is Taller, Emu Or Ostrich?
Even though emus are Australia’s most giant flightless bird, they are much smaller than ostriches. An emu can grow up to 6-9 feet in height, while the female emu can only grow up to 5-6 feet tall; in contrast, ostriches can grow up to 6-9 feet in height, can only grow up to 5-6 feet tall.
A mature emu’s weight ranges from 66 to 100 pounds (30-45 kg). An adult ostrich can weigh anything from 135 to 315 pounds at full maturity (63-150 kg) when it comes to weight. Ostriches are taller and bigger than emus because of this comparison.
Conclusions
Ostrich and emu are big and beautiful birds of the world. They have different egg sizes and body weights, same as they have origin Ostrich is from Africa and Emu from Austria. Its means they are mainly funded in these places. We hope you get the information for what you are looking for.
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