Who said...

[Dingo]

Everything that I'd read before my emus hatched said they were very basic birds, not capable of learning anything more than what to eat. Theres even a video on youtube from a zoo in which the woman claims that the male emu at the park cannot remember things day to day and training is never really accomplished.
Well I've found this to me somewhat false, sure they're not dogs they will never be reliable, but they know their names and come when called. When the little rascals are running around I can call out "Quoba c'mon buddy" and the little guy/gal will come running head low stretching out when s/he arrives by my feet like "what now 'dad.'" Adina is the same but not quite as eager. SO they'll never be a perfectly trained golden retriever, but I'd never expect that.

 

[Mahonri]

Hey, we need pics!! Please!!

 

[Supreme Emu]

I don't have enough knowledge about birds to compare an emu to any other bird. However, I dismiss the notion that 'training is never really accomplished.' My emus have turned up at dawn for five-hundred days in a row -- that's memory. (I joke to myself that at one stage I thought that emus liked David Bowie, which was the only album in the farmhouse until my stuff arrived. Nah . . . they'd just figured out that music meant wheat.) I have observed my emus learning their way around the backyard. They became trapped and confused when they were young. Now, though, they clearly have a memory of the two gates, and will walk through the car port. They can also navigate distances of four or five kilometres through the bush to get home.

Supreme Emu

 

[Dingo]

I will try to get a video and pictures tomorrow, or tuesday.
Supreme Emu, I dont think emus are wired per se to follow commands, surely they are smart in their own emu/wild animal way though.

 

[chickenzoo]

Although not the brightest match in the box, they can learn... they just have very short attention spans. Mine know their names - weither they choose to listen to me is another...... They watch me do things and wait till my back is turned and try to undo it. They know when I'm sad and Jazzy will come over and lay down by me and rest his head on my arm and stare at me or give me a hug..... They always know when I'm trying to open the pasture gate, if they just wait for one of the mini horses to distract me they can just slip past me and then the chase is on with them jumping and kicking like a naughty little kid.... LOL

 

[Dingo]

chickenzoo, I'm glad I'm not the only one with emus that know their names, I was worried I'd be labeled the crazy emu girl.
They are definately endearing with their antics as well. I can't help but laugh as I'm trying to stop them from getting into stuff that they shouldn't be in, like the wisteria.

 

[chickenzoo]

Just wait until you are trying to build something...... LOL... they will try and swallow screws and nails, take off with stuff, bite your fingers to see what you're holding... hehe Everytime Hubby cleans out the barn the emu start grabbing stuff or climb in with him and are on top of him the whole time.... nosy creatures. They also enjoy stealing stuff from visitors. Anyone who comes here more than once knows to not wear jewelery of any kind, keys must be left at the gate and hold on to your glasses.... hehe. Mine do know the NO command, but with visitors .... they play the " do I have to still listen to you game"... hehe Try shearing a llama or alpaca with a emu in your face or trying to steal the hand shears..... wish I had a video camera..... me, llama and emu are covered in fiber...... not pretty. : )