Wild Emus at The Lilly Pilly Tree

[briefvisit]

https://imgur.com/7roy8L0

You can see Dad on the right

 

[AntiqueB]

There is no mistaking the ruff on that Dad!

When he leaves the chicks, is it usually mutually agreed on, or does the Dad have to drive them off? I wonder just because the chicks can stay for so long, and because it seems not to be a definite amount of time with the parent.

 

[briefvisit]

'When he leaves the chicks, is it usually mutually agreed on, or does the Dad have to drive them off?'

What a good question!

This is one of the cases in which we have enough data to sketch out a reality, but not enough data to 'fill in the blanks.'

We know that Dads usually -- 'divest' is my term -- separate from their clutches sometime in autumn.

We know that some Dads don't. They stick with their clutches into their (the chicks') second year.

We know that clutches may stay together for months after separating from their Dad.

But we lack information on just how the separations happen; and we'd sure like more data on the percentages of Dads that undertake 'short-form' parenting, and those that undertake 'long-form' parenting.

My guess is that Dad 'encourages' the chicks to hit the trail. Hissing at them, and giving them a bit of a peck on the head, sounds about right.

 

[briefvisit]

https://imgur.com/TryyF7i

Here's a first-year chick in winter, plus several inches of rain. At different times, we've seen behaviours -- like the piteous cheeping of a second-year chick separated from Dad and siblings -- that indicate that chicks love their Dad and their siblings/that chicks feel pretty lonely on their own.

 

[Evadig]

https://imgur.com/TryyF7i

Here's a first-year chick in winter, plus several inches of rain. At different times, we've seen behaviours -- like the piteous cheeping of a second-year chick separated from Dad and siblings -- that indicate that chicks love their Dad and their siblings/that chicks feel pretty lonely on their own.

He looks rather bedraggled, for sure. How tall is he at this point? Will he grow more, and if he does, how much?

 

[briefvisit]

https://imgur.com/D4lca01

 

[briefvisit]

'How tall is he at this point? Will he grow more, and if he does, how much?'

It makes most sense to 'think by seasons,' Evadig. A chick is adult after spring/summer/autumn/winter/spring/summer -- six seasons.

So it's just a touch over half grown -- about three feet -- with plumage (in this one's case, after a half hour in the tumble dryer . . .) in the 'fuzzball' stage: the chicks' bodies go hard to get sufficeint plumage happening for their first winter. So they sorta 'go to fuzzball' in mid-autumn -- they grow out rather than up for a little while.

Full grown? Plus/minus six feet. If they stand upright, just under six feet. On tippy toes, over six feet.

 

[briefvisit]

And the cheeper in the clip above? It's well on its way to being an adult -- late spring?

We just happened to witness this. Dad and siblings somehow wandered out of sight.

 

[briefvisit]

Limpy Chick's strident vocalisations indicate . . .

the chicks are here.

https://imgur.com/2X8nEVp

 

[briefvisit]

I gotta go to town in a minute. But we should discuss How Long Til Dad Bails?