Emu

Australian animals · flightless birds · ratites · desert runners

Super tall bird. Emus are the tallest native birds in Australia and the third tallest birds in the entire world, after ostriches in Africa. They can grow to be 6 feet tall or more.

Built for running. Even though emus can't fly, they're incredible runners that can sprint at speeds up to 30 miles per hour across the Australian outback. Their powerful legs let them cover huge distances searching for food.

From all over Australia. Emus live across most of mainland Australia, from the coast to the desert. Long ago, there were special emu populations on Tasmania, Kangaroo Island, and King Island, but these disappeared after Europeans arrived in Australia in 1788.

Unique bird family. Emus belong to a special group of flightless birds called ratites, which also includes ostriches and kiwis. They're the only members of their genus, called Dromaius, that still exist today.