Very easy to understand explanation. Thank you!
Your pictures are amazing, and your chair solution is ingenious!
Your pictures are amazing, and your chair solution is ingenious!
Wild Emus at The Lilly Pilly Tree
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Overall, understanding emooz makes much more sense if your measure is the seasons. I'm not suggesting that those with pet emus are unaware of seasons; but in the wild, it really is 'the framework.'
When newly-hatched, there is abundant food and water while they are still slow and unable to easily travel long distances. By the time they are black heads -- their fourth month, early summer -- they are faster and much hardier; but the world has become a hard place, with a lack of food and water, and serious heat-waves.
This persists through their first summer, and into autumn.
With the rains comes a fantastic reprieve -- but sitting at night in winter in the pouring rain (and my rothschildis by no means live in the coldest emu territory) is not to be undertaken with insufficient plumage.
This is black head chick plus five inches of autumn rain:
When newly-hatched, there is abundant food and water while they are still slow and unable to easily travel long distances. By the time they are black heads -- their fourth month, early summer -- they are faster and much hardier; but the world has become a hard place, with a lack of food and water, and serious heat-waves.
This persists through their first summer, and into autumn.
With the rains comes a fantastic reprieve -- but sitting at night in winter in the pouring rain (and my rothschildis by no means live in the coldest emu territory) is not to be undertaken with insufficient plumage.
This is black head chick plus five inches of autumn rain:
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This picture is a rewind. It's Alpha and Omega in my garden with Eric the Emu. So, how old are these chicks?
You can see the black pin feathers on their necks and heads, but no real toosh feathers. You can also see flowers on the pea plants at far left. So we'd guess that it's late spring -- you can see the grass 'burning off.'
These chicks are about twelve weeks.
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Ok. Let's finish up:
their second spring and their second summer are the end of their juvenile stage. By late summer, they are young adults.
But what remains is a discussion about how being an 'adult emu' is not the same as going head to head with powerful older birds in the mating arena. My argument is that emus are not 'socially mature' until their fourth year.
SE
their second spring and their second summer are the end of their juvenile stage. By late summer, they are young adults.
But what remains is a discussion about how being an 'adult emu' is not the same as going head to head with powerful older birds in the mating arena. My argument is that emus are not 'socially mature' until their fourth year.
SE
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Bulletin: announcing Limpy Chick and ‘Offsider’ (the male)
We – I – thought that Limpy Chick’s ‘offsider,’ who’s been here six weeks or more, was a female. I must have mistaken some feather-puffing on ‘her’ chest for the sight of a vocal sac.
Perhaps more important was ‘her’ aggressive style. Most males stand about like potted palms to during confrontations, unless the female calls for help.* But Offsider has been noticeably active in defending the perimeter (mostly against that pesky little runt bird).
We’ve also noticed that LC and Offsider turn up about the same time each morning, and from the same direction: the north west. So let’s see if that keeps happening.
Their late arrival – as opposed to, say, stepping out from behind the fig tree at first light – suggests that they roost some ways off. (There are two dams on that side.)
So, our tentative thought is: although it’s way too early, Limpy Chick has a consort. They work together aggressively against intruders. And for some reason – even though Limpy Chick was raised under the plum tree – they choose to ‘base’ themselves some distance away. (Haven’t heard her at night.)
SE
*We aren’t quite sure what the call is, but it is as clear as day when you are watching: female arcs up against interlopers; [some vocalization or signal -- ??]; male just snaps into synchronized action. It is a fine thing to watch!
We – I – thought that Limpy Chick’s ‘offsider,’ who’s been here six weeks or more, was a female. I must have mistaken some feather-puffing on ‘her’ chest for the sight of a vocal sac.
Perhaps more important was ‘her’ aggressive style. Most males stand about like potted palms to during confrontations, unless the female calls for help.* But Offsider has been noticeably active in defending the perimeter (mostly against that pesky little runt bird).
We’ve also noticed that LC and Offsider turn up about the same time each morning, and from the same direction: the north west. So let’s see if that keeps happening.
Their late arrival – as opposed to, say, stepping out from behind the fig tree at first light – suggests that they roost some ways off. (There are two dams on that side.)
So, our tentative thought is: although it’s way too early, Limpy Chick has a consort. They work together aggressively against intruders. And for some reason – even though Limpy Chick was raised under the plum tree – they choose to ‘base’ themselves some distance away. (Haven’t heard her at night.)
SE
*We aren’t quite sure what the call is, but it is as clear as day when you are watching: female arcs up against interlopers; [some vocalization or signal -- ??]; male just snaps into synchronized action. It is a fine thing to watch!
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Were they swimming? Second-year chicks?
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Yes, been swimming; but first-year chicks. See how dry the ground is? barren? So it's seriously summer/early autumn in the photo. So if those chicks were second-year chicks, they would be very very nearly adults. They'd have only traces of juvenile plumage evident.
You can see that they kept their heads out of the water.
You can see that they kept their heads out of the water.
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These are second-year chicks. (It's Toosh Toosh's first clutch, but after we lost the fifth chick.)
Watch the one second from the left. It puts its neck in the water, but not its head. And check the floating tails.
[And the preening. Always with the preening!]
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And just for fun, here is Limpy Chick
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