Emu

The Emu is the second-largest living bird by height. It is a flightless ratite with a shaggy coat of grey-brown feathers that help regulate its temperature in the harsh Australian sun. Unlike most birds, its feathers have two shafts of equal length arising from a single follicle.

Dull brownish-grey to charcoal with a lighter, whitish base. The tips often darken where melanin is more concentrated to resist wear.

Plumulaceous (downy) and loose; lack of interlocking hooklets (barbicels) gives it a hair-like, non-veined appearance.

Soft, silky, and hair-like. It lacks the stiffness of flight feathers because Emus are flightless and do not require aerodynamic rigidity.

Double-shafted (bifid) structure and hair-like, non-interlocking barbs.

Found across most of the Australian continent, ranging from sclerophyll forests to semi-arid savannas and grasslands.

Endemic to mainland Australia. Found year-round with nomadic movement patterns following rainfall and food availability.

Large-scale seed disperser across the Australian landscape; high-level herbivore. Conservation status is Least Concern (IUCN).

Ostrich feathers (much larger, more voluminous) or Cassowary feathers (shorter, courser, and often more quill-like).

The Emu is the only bird with a specialized tracheal pouch that allows it to make deep booming sounds that can be heard up to 2 kilometers away.

Fair to Good. The feather shows natural curling and some separation of the barbs at the tip, typical of naturally shed (molted) specimens.

Hertfordshire Zoo