Wild Emus at The Lilly Pilly Tree

[briefvisit]

'Could the super plumage give any kind of evolutionary advantage?'

Another good question.

Okay, I’ve dug out the clip in question:

https://imgur.com/HenM9Kz

This chick’s black head feathers should clearly mark it as a black-head chick – but look at its plumage!

 

[briefvisit]

Female emus vocalise at night – at least the ones that are ‘in command.’ You can almost always tell the bird in question. Most females have a ‘single-barrel foomph.’ A few emit double-barrel foomphs.



The string of foomphs is usually about seven to fifteen. Each bird sticks to its ‘signature foomphs.’



If any readers have pet emus that do this, please do post: how many foomphs?



But GB has a unique vocalization. She emits ‘rolling foomphs.’



The females ‘talk to the farmhouse’ when Old Guy turns the light on to go for a midnight wee. It took me ages to figure out it wasn’t a coincidence: you turn the light on; foomph foomph foomph.