- Nov 9, 2013
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Sigh:
The parenting male shows each clutch his territory. Thus, on five occasions over nine years, Eric the Emu brought his chicks to the farm-house.
As I explained elsewhere, Eric is likely dead.
Three days ago, right at the end of the fig season, Number One, the reluctant ‘daddy’ of the eight orphans, whom I stopped feeding about a month ago, went bush with them. Number One hasn’t come back – she’s likely looking for a consort. And two of the chicks have turned back up (rather lethargic and spooked -- ??) But it’s clear: the clutch has broken up, as is about usual.
And the bottom line is this, readers: it was Eric who brought his clutches here; the males teach each clutch their territory. So the link is broken. There will be tame-wild emus for us to enjoy as long as this old man can ‘hold down’ the farm-house; but the chain is broken. To the best of my knowledge, no observations of a wild emu family have ever been made -- certainly not documented -- over such a length of time.
Here’s the list:
Eric the Emu: under observation nine years. Brought five clutches here. One of two only ‘double-alpha’ birds. If he lived, say, fifteen years, he spent perhaps fourteen months sitting quietly on his clutches in the pouring rain and howling wind of the winter storms. Took eight years before he ate from my hand.
Here’s his Dynasty:
Greedy the Emu: 2009 clutch. No sighting for four years. Gonna presume her dead.
Felicity Emu: 2009 clutch. Alive and well. Passed through with this year’s consort, Handsome Eddie, just a few days ago.
Number One: 2009 clutch. Alive and well. Been here this year.
Alpha and Omega Chicks: 2011? Great observations, but didn’t become tame. They might/might have come back, but we can’t identify them.
Boy Emu and Greedy’s chicks: clutch of eight, hatched 2013.
Felicity and Noddy Big Ears’ clutch: clutch of eight? Hatched 2014
Uno Chick (the Emu): 2015: here just two days ago. Fine female. A little light. Fine dark plumage. Wonderfully tame.
2016 clutch: three chicks here for just a week. One died.
2017 clutch: nine at first. Likely Eric himself and one chick killed in an accident. One chick, ‘BeakyCheeper,’ has a distinctive bump on its nose, so will likely be recognizable upon return. A second, ‘Limpy Chick,’ has recovered from its injury. If it returns in the future, it may be recognizable.
Here is a photo, not of Eric, but of dawn over the National Park that he roamed in.
R.I.P., Eric:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/714603/lightbox/post/9865361/id/5387112
The parenting male shows each clutch his territory. Thus, on five occasions over nine years, Eric the Emu brought his chicks to the farm-house.
As I explained elsewhere, Eric is likely dead.
Three days ago, right at the end of the fig season, Number One, the reluctant ‘daddy’ of the eight orphans, whom I stopped feeding about a month ago, went bush with them. Number One hasn’t come back – she’s likely looking for a consort. And two of the chicks have turned back up (rather lethargic and spooked -- ??) But it’s clear: the clutch has broken up, as is about usual.
And the bottom line is this, readers: it was Eric who brought his clutches here; the males teach each clutch their territory. So the link is broken. There will be tame-wild emus for us to enjoy as long as this old man can ‘hold down’ the farm-house; but the chain is broken. To the best of my knowledge, no observations of a wild emu family have ever been made -- certainly not documented -- over such a length of time.
Here’s the list:
Eric the Emu: under observation nine years. Brought five clutches here. One of two only ‘double-alpha’ birds. If he lived, say, fifteen years, he spent perhaps fourteen months sitting quietly on his clutches in the pouring rain and howling wind of the winter storms. Took eight years before he ate from my hand.
Here’s his Dynasty:
Greedy the Emu: 2009 clutch. No sighting for four years. Gonna presume her dead.
Felicity Emu: 2009 clutch. Alive and well. Passed through with this year’s consort, Handsome Eddie, just a few days ago.
Number One: 2009 clutch. Alive and well. Been here this year.
Alpha and Omega Chicks: 2011? Great observations, but didn’t become tame. They might/might have come back, but we can’t identify them.
Boy Emu and Greedy’s chicks: clutch of eight, hatched 2013.
Felicity and Noddy Big Ears’ clutch: clutch of eight? Hatched 2014
Uno Chick (the Emu): 2015: here just two days ago. Fine female. A little light. Fine dark plumage. Wonderfully tame.
2016 clutch: three chicks here for just a week. One died.
2017 clutch: nine at first. Likely Eric himself and one chick killed in an accident. One chick, ‘BeakyCheeper,’ has a distinctive bump on its nose, so will likely be recognizable upon return. A second, ‘Limpy Chick,’ has recovered from its injury. If it returns in the future, it may be recognizable.
Here is a photo, not of Eric, but of dawn over the National Park that he roamed in.
R.I.P., Eric:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/714603/lightbox/post/9865361/id/5387112
Last edited:
R.I.P Eric
