Emus belong to a family of flightless birds called ratites and are known to be the most primitive of modern bird families. They are migratory birds and have been tracked moving long distances in search of food. They spend most of the year in small groups that join together to form larger traveling herds.

As omnivores, they eat a variety of plant food during the day when they are active. They will also eat insects and seed pods during the winter months. They serve as a vital seed dispersal system for their environments as well.

Can live up to 20 years in the wild or about 35 in captivity. Emus nest by creating a platform of grass on the ground, and the female emu lays between five and 15 eggs. The female wanders off after laying the eggs, and the male is left to incubate the eggs and care for the young by himself.

Emus are widespread and numerous, and extensive networks of emu-proof fences are in place around farmlands in Australia, since they are considered an agricultural pest.

They are distributed across most of mainland Australia.