The emu and the ostrich are the two largest flightless birds living on Earth.Although these two humongous birds can’t fly, they are speedy runners. These birds are omnivores and primarily feed on plant materials and small insects, rodents, and reptiles.As emus and ostriches do not have teeth, they often swallow small pebbles and stones that help grind food in their muscular stomach, known as a gizzard. This further eases the digestion process for these birds. The females of these birds are called hens, while the males are called cocks. Their young ones are called chicks.Emus and ostriches resemble each other. Both these feathery birds are giant with long necks and strong legs. So now the question arises, how can we tell the difference between an emu and an ostrich? Keep reading to learn some fascinating differences and facts about these birds!Are you enjoying this article on the emu vs the ostrich? Why don’t you read our other interesting fun fact articles on emu facts and the kissing bug vs stink bug right here on Kidadl?What are the differences between an emu and an ostrich?The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the world’s second-largest living bird, whereas the ostrich (Struthio camelus) is the largest living bird in the world. Emus and ostriches are both flightless birds; while emus are native to Australia, ostriches are native to Africa.Emus have a long neck and strong and sturdy legs with three toes. Both males and females of this bird species have small, grayish-brown feathers. Female emus usually have wider rumps and are slightly larger than male emus.On the other hand, ostriches have big eyes, a long neck, and extremely strong and firm legs with two toes. Ostriches are the only birds to have just two toes. The males have black feathers with wingtips in white whereas, female ostriches have grayish-brown feathers. Female ostriches are usually smaller than male ostriches.Emus are relatively non-aggressive and docile birds. However, if they are provoked or threatened, then they can attack and cause harm to humans. Their sharp-clawed feet with three toes can be dangerous as they can cause serious injuries.Ostriches are pretty aggressive as compared to emus. Ostriches may become hostile when provoked or threatened and are also capable of fatally hurting humans. Ostrich kicks can be dangerous for humans and can lead to death.Emus are one of the fastest running birds and can run about 31 mph (50 kph). Ostriches are the world’s fastest running birds that run at speeds around 43 mph (70 kph).The average life span of emus is about 10-20 years in the wild, and they can live up to 35 years in captivity.At the same time, the average life span of ostriches is about 30-50 years.Who is taller, an emu or an ostrich?Even though emus are the largest flightless birds among the habitats of Australia, they are comparatively smaller than ostriches.A full-grown male emu’s height is about 5-6 ft (1.5 to 1.8 m) tall, whereas a female emu is slightly larger than its male counterpart and has a broader rump; in contrast, an adult male ostrich can grow up to 6-9 ft (1.8-2.7 m) tall while a female can be around 5 -6 ft (1.5-1.8 m) in height.An adult emu’s weight falls in the range of 66-100 lb (30-45 kg). On the other hand, an adult ostrich’s weight is in the range of between 139-330 lb (63-150 kg).Thus, it is evident that ostriches are taller and heavier than emus. Ostriches can easily win against emus if a fight takes place between these two birds.Ostriches are the tallest and heaviest bird in the world. Who lays heavier eggs, an emu or an ostrich?As both emus and ostriches are massive, large birds, they also lay large eggs.Emu eggs, on average, are 5 in (12.7 cm) long and weigh between 1-1.4 lb (450 to 650 g), whereas ostrich eggs are around 6 inches (15 cm) long and weigh almost 3 lb (1.3 kg). An ostrich lays eggs larger than those of any other bird; hence ostrich eggs are heavier than emus’.During the mating period, a pair of male and female emus procreate together. Female emus lay greenish-blue eggs and leave the eggs to the males. Male emus take care of the incubation of eggs and look after the chicks once hatched; they also make nests for chicks.In contrast, a male ostrich breeds with six to seven females creating a group during mating. A single female also mates with multiple males. Female ostriches lay large white eggs and place them all together. For the incubation of eggs, the most dominant female and male share the responsibilities. The female sits on the eggs during the day as its feathers adapt to the daytime environment, and the male sits on the eggs during the night as its black feathers act as effective camouflage for incubating and protecting the eggs. Together, they take care of chicks after hatching.Are an emu and an ostrich related?Despite the differences between an emu and an ostrich, these two birds also have similarities, so they are related.As emus and ostriches are both flightless, large, and long-legged birds, they are a part of a diverse group of birds called ratites which practically makes these two giant birds relatives.Even though emus and ostriches are slightly related, they cannot be mated or inbred as emus lay eggs during wintertime, whereas ostriches lay eggs around summer or late spring. Thus the mating season and egg-laying time may cause difficulty in breeding these two birds.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘Emu vs ostrich: the difference between largest birds simplified!’ then why not take a look at ‘Oldest river in the world: amazing facts on world’s rivers for kids!’ or ‘Ox vs cow: domestic cattle differences simplified for kids’?
The emu and the ostrich are the two largest flightless birds living on Earth.
