Question about Emu Behavior

[briefvisit]

Hey, Panamom. This is a hard one for me -- but it's a conversation we've had many times here.

My shtick is this:

emus have, in the wild, a range of identifiable behaviours. You can come and stay a month; sit in the garden; and watch it all go down.

[16 wild emus here at dawn yesterday.]

These strategies, however, pivot on one factor: space.

Having territory, and defending that territory, involves emus running wildly about in all directions -- we're talking thousands and thousands and thousands of acres.

So, what happens when one or a couple of emus find themselves in a small space, and oft times with other critters? It seems that their 'programmes' can go wonky. Maybe they think you are an emu. Maybe they are frustrated because they can't find any other emus.

[In the wild, females shout at one another over distances of a half a mile.]

Give them treats. Observe them. Report back to us here.

SE

 

[Panamom]

Esmeralda (the emu) continues to hum,thrum and get along with the other birds. Still doesn’t eat all the treats I offer the others excepting sunflower seeds.

 

[briefvisit]

Nice report.

At least 15-17 wild emus in the house-clearing here yesterday, at one time or another.

See if you can differentiate Esmerelda's actual vocal-sac noises from her non-vocal-sac noises. If you can pat her, you'll actually feel the 'balloon' of her vocal sac in her chest as you pat her.

SE

 

[Panamom]

I can hear at least two distinct sounds, one is a very deep booming and the other one is more of a thrumming, I like to think purr

 

[briefvisit]

Deep breath, Panamom. This discussion we've had a gazillion times.

Most emoo noises are made by both males and females -- farting and hissing, for example.

Note: separating the noises is easier for moi, because I have great context, like being able to watch breeding-pairs, knowing that one is an M and one is an F.

 

[briefvisit]

We've learned as follows:

the sound produced by the female in her vocal sac is unique to her. And likewise being able to see or touch the enlarged vocal sac -- if vocal sac, then female.

So here is how you are going to go bonkers, like the rest of us:

you listen and listen and listen, and observe and observe and observe (and research on the Net) until you . . . get to understand this better.

And report back here

SE

 

[briefvisit]

Not having Emoo Drama is a lack in your case. If you have plenty of emus -- 15-17 in the house-clearing here yesterday -- you will have breeding-pairs. And if you have breeding-pairs and other random emus (including, quite likely, other breeding-pairs) you will have pairs 'operating' against each other -- involved in conflict.

And in that conflict, you will very likely get the chance to see a female from the side, as she is making One Particular Sound, and be able to see the vocal sac.

This is the 'context' that I have here

 

[briefvisit]

https://imgur.com/UVS1h7R