Emu

The Emu is the second-largest living bird by height. Its feathers are unique among birds because the aftershaft is the same length as the main feather, appearing as if two feathers grow from one quill. The adult bird is large, flightless, and covered in shaggy grey-brown plumage with long, powerful legs capable of running at 50 km/h.

Mottled charcoal grey to brownish-black tips with a light grey or cream-colored base near the calamus

Plumulaceous and loose; the barbs lack the interlocking hooklets (barbicels) found in flighted birds, giving it a soft, hair-like texture

Dual rachises emerging from a single quill; the rachis is thin and flexible, with barbs spaced widely and radiating at acute angles

Soft, hair-like, and flexible; matte appearance with no iridescence or waterproofing oils common in aquatic species

Body/Torso; these feathers overlap to create a thatched, weather-resistant coat over the bird's back and flanks

Distinctive 'double feather' structure where two shafts emerge from a single calamus; lack of interlocking barbs (velvety feel)

Savannahs, sclerophyll forests, and semi-arid plains; avoids dense tropical rainforests and extremely arid deserts

Endemic to mainland Australia; non-migratory but highly nomadic following rainfall and food availability

High-level herbivore and critical seed disperser for many native Australian plant species; their nomadic movements help maintain floral diversity

Ostrich feathers (much larger and more plume-like) and Casuarius feathers (coarser, almost spine-like, and usually darker)

Emus are the only birds with a double-rachis feather of equal length. During the 'Great Emu War' of 1932, the Australian military was unsuccessfully deployed to cull the population because the birds' thick plumage and speed made them difficult targets.

Significance in Indigenous Australian culture for food, fat-based medicine, and ceremonial dress; historically and currently used in millinery and craft arts

Look for these feathers near watering holes or under shade trees in the Australian outback; the double-shaft is the definitive diagnostic feature

Fair to Good; shows typical separation of barbs and some wear toward the distal tip, common in molted ground-dwelling bird feathers