Emu T-Shirt

The Emu is Australia’s tallest native bird, reaching between 1.6 m and 1.9 m when standing erect. The main habitats of the Emu are sclerophyll forest and savanna woodland. The Emu can be recognized by its voice, booming, drumming and grunting. Booming is created in an inflatable neck sac, and can be heard up to 2 km away. Nesting takes place in winter. The male and female remain together for about five months, which includes courtship, nest building and egg-laying. The nest consists of a platform of grass on the ground, about 10 cm thick and 1 m – 2 m in diameter. The large eggs (130 mm x 90 mm) are laid at intervals of two to four days. These are dark bluish-green when fresh, becoming lighter with exposure to the sun. The shells are thick, with paler green and white layers under the dark outer layer. The female dominates the male during pair formation but once incubation begins, the male becomes aggressive to other Emus, including his mate. The female wanders away and leaves the male to perform all the incubation. The male incubates the eggs without drinking, feeding, defecating or leaving the nest. These images are designed by students from the University of Newcastle, Australia. We love our natural world. We hope this encourages your love of nature. Please help save our planet.