- Nov 9, 2013
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There’s a clutch of four ‘chicks’ – 17 months old, Tooshtoosh’s clutch – still here. They’ve remained a coherent group in the six months since abandonment.
And several times in the last two months, a group of three wild emus has entered the house-clearing to sneak a bit of wheat with my chicks.
But only this morning did I get a close enough look at them to decide that they also are chicks.
Here’s my theory:
Dad emus usually abandon their clutch in midwinter (lots of qualifications here).
And the clutch stays together.
This is the new and interesting idea.
It means that on various occasions, I have seen small groups of wild emus in spring and summer, but not noticed that they were still ‘chicks.’
The three visitors this morning for the first time came to within 6-8 yards of me. I could clearly see that ‘slight under-weight-ness’ that marks my chicks from LimpyChick, an adult female, when she is here. The visitors also lacked the white neck ‘ruff’ of feathers that adults often have.
And several times in the last two months, a group of three wild emus has entered the house-clearing to sneak a bit of wheat with my chicks.
But only this morning did I get a close enough look at them to decide that they also are chicks.
Here’s my theory:
Dad emus usually abandon their clutch in midwinter (lots of qualifications here).
And the clutch stays together.
This is the new and interesting idea.
It means that on various occasions, I have seen small groups of wild emus in spring and summer, but not noticed that they were still ‘chicks.’
The three visitors this morning for the first time came to within 6-8 yards of me. I could clearly see that ‘slight under-weight-ness’ that marks my chicks from LimpyChick, an adult female, when she is here. The visitors also lacked the white neck ‘ruff’ of feathers that adults often have.
