The emu ( Dromaius novaehollandiae) is a large, flightless ratite bird native to Australia,

The common emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is stout-bodied and long-legged, like its relative the cassowary. Both sexes are brownish, with a dark gray head and neck. Emus can dash away at nearly 50 km (30 miles) per hour; if cornered, they kick with their big three-toed feet. Emus mate for life; the male incubates 7 to 10 dark green eggs, 13 cm (5 inches) long, in a ground nest for about 60 days. The striped young soon run with the adults. In small flocks, emus forage for fruits and insects but may also damage crops. The peculiar structure of the trachea of the emu is correlated with the loud booming note of the bird during the breeding season. Three subspecies are recognized, inhabiting northern, southeastern, and southwestern Australia; a fourth, now extinct, lived on Tasmania.