Emu pictures and stories.... post them here

[briefvisit]

Sigh . . .

this is an old paradox, jch. The attrition rate for wild chicks, for example, is around 65% in the first year. These birds do it h a r d -- but if you step out into the house-clearing on a winter night (with Felicity foomphing quietly down behind the fig tree), you get a sense of why they'd choose life that way. You come across roosts in the gums . . . anywhere: a bird is grazing on a pasture at dusk; walks into the gums; hunkers down in its feather pyjamas; and that's home.

A bird like Greedy gets to be Lordess of the Universe, taking on all comers in order to score the best spot to lay her eggs. No quarter asked; none given. (Heck, I doubt any reader here has ever seen an emu's head over 8 feet off the ground, after a 100-foot run-up, as she double-kicked another bird!)

Here -- https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/714603/lightbox/post/9860925/id/5385934 -- is a shot (from a recently-harvested part of a gum plantation on which I'd turned up at 4:00 a.m. to observe) out over the National Park to the south of me. It's 50 miles by 50 miles. There are chicks in there who've never seen a hoomern.

Wonderful!!

SE

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Sigh . . .

this is an old paradox, jch. The attrition rate for wild chicks, for example, is around 65% in the first year. These birds do it h a r d -- but if you step out into the house-clearing on a winter night (with Felicity foomphing quietly down behind the fig tree), you get a sense of why they'd choose life that way. You come across roosts in the gums . . . anywhere: a bird is grazing on a pasture at dusk; walks into the gums; hunkers down in its feather pyjamas; and that's home.

A bird like Greedy gets to be Lordess of the Universe, taking on all comers in order to score the best spot to lay her eggs. No quarter asked; none given. (Heck, I doubt any reader here has ever seen an emu's head over 8 feet off the ground, after a 100-foot run-up, as she double-kicked another bird!)

Here -- https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/714603/lightbox/post/9860925/id/5385934 -- is a shot (from a recently-harvested part of a gum plantation on which I'd turned up at 4:00 a.m. to observe) out over the National Park to the south of me. It's 50 miles by 50 miles. There are chicks in there who've never seen a hoomern.

Wonderful!!

SE

I relish every post you share, and enjoy so much insight of the lives they lead. Thank you! Beautiful and harsh images as well. thank you for the link. I so love the species. We are not ready yet here, but the day is coming. I follow many folks to clearly understand them, and understand what care they need. Amazing bird, needs to be appreciated a lot more than they are here. I will not add a species until we are 100% ready for adults to be comfortable. I so want to raise those beautiful babies!
My feeling is is best to train a bird from a chick to where home is, who is family and whats safe. We are fencing off 5 acres in preparation of Emu. Our long term neighbor has a trust thats open to agriculture only. Working towards that 44 acres for cattle and more that adjoins our land. I keep Jersey cows, they are a gentle breed. very accepting to other animal species.

 

[briefvisit]

Five wild birds sighted in two days, one an unusual and lovely 'sandy' colour. Felicity has wandered off, but she'll likely be back for 'little yellow flowers season' -- cape weed -- due any week now.

And walked to 'Oudman's' in spring rain -- only the old old timers will know what Oudman's is (https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/641934/lightbox/post/9470261/id/5261390) Lots of wild emus' blessings in the house-clearing. (and mustang dung!)

 

[briefvisit]

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Oh my, thats a lot of Emu!

 

[briefvisit]

The fun, jchny, has been piecing the data together over the years. I once witnessed the top of half of Greedy Emu (a female) doing the strangest thing, in twilight, with Boy Emu, where both of them had been for days 'playing nests.' Days later, Boy Emu was sitting on a clutch of eggs. The Youtube video taught me the body posture of a female laying, and I now understand what I was looking at on that day in 2013. Here is a photo of Boy Emu (with five chicks under him)
-- and you may scour the Net: you won't find a photo of a wild bird incubating:

(Yes, he is the consort of a tame-wild bird, and yes, he's sitting in an aisle of a bluegum plantation; but he's a wild male.)

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

The fun, jchny, has been piecing the data together over the years. I once witnessed the top of half of Greedy Emu (a female) doing the strangest thing, in twilight, with Boy Emu, where both of them had been for days 'playing nests.' Days later, Boy Emu was sitting on a clutch of eggs. The Youtube video taught me the body posture of a female laying, and I now understand what I was looking at on that day in 2013. Here is a photo of Boy Emu (with five chicks under him)
-- and you may scour the Net: you won't find a photo of a wild bird incubating:

(Yes, he is the consort of a tame-wild bird, and yes, he's sitting in an aisle of a bluegum plantation; but he's a wild male.)

Took me a few seconds to find him. He certainly blends in well. How fascinating and fortunate you are to witness his brooding.

 

[briefvisit]

If you just sit in the garden long enough . . .

a male with a clutch of eight cruised past at dawn this morning, about forty yards from the bench in the garden.

se

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

If you just sit in the garden long enough . . .

a male with a clutch of eight cruised past at dawn this morning, about forty yards from the bench in the garden.

se

I do this often since I am retired. I don't get to enjoy Emu passing through however! I do see the seasons change and new life in the wild life native here. Even the tiny hummingbirds are quite fascinating! I care for both my parents full time so my free moments, I enjoy the outdoors.
DH is adding paddocks. Its my hope that Emu will become a reality soon here. Until we are 100% ready I'll not add them to our farm. Coyote are heavy in our area, so they'll need good protection and secure fences.

 

[briefvisit]

Found something interesting in the bush the other day (over at 'Oudman's:

it was a perfect circle of emu poops, showing that a few nights ago a male and maybe five or six chicks spent the night, as they do, sleeping breast to breast.