What is a Group of Emus Called? (Complete List + Why?)

Emus are the only birds Dromaus It is the second-largest bird in the world by weight and the third-largest in height, after ostriches and cassowaries. Emus live only in Australia and specialize in the rugged, arid outback. An emu is also magnificent, but what is a group of emus called?

The main collective nouns for a group of emus are a mob and a group of emus. In fact, emus are not particularly sociable or gregarious birds, spending most of their time alone or with their mates. However, emus will feed or roam in groups – this is when you’re most likely to see a group or group of emus.

Emus are called mobs because of how destructive they are to crops and farms. In the 1930s, Australia declared war on emus, chasing them in the outback in converted cars armed with machine guns. Given that there are still emus today, you have to say the emus won! It’s a testament to the tenacity of this gigantic bird.

Read on to learn more about emu flocks and the flocking behavior of these super-tough birds!

A small colony of emus near Lake Corwall, New South Wales, Australia

Other terms for a group of emus

• a group of emus
• a group of emus
• a group of emus
• a group of emus

Do emus live in groups?

Emus are generally solitary birds, but they also congregate when circumstances are beneficial to them, such as when traveling, mating or foraging.

Because they occupy relatively resource-poor and infertile areas of Australia, emus often travel long distances in search of food. When traveling, emus can live in groups of up to 20 individuals, but rarely more.

When breeding, emus avoid each other and stick to their mates. Pairs stay together for about five months, until the female places her clutch in a nest built by both male and female. During this time, emus are very quiet, only moving in search of food. They often forage with several other pairs – even a few emus can completely ruin a farmer’s field!

In short, though, emus are not social birds and rarely gather in groups. Although there are around 700,000 emus in Australia, they’re actually surprisingly mysterious, and little detailed research has been done on their behavior.

A small colony of emus in the outback of New South Wales, Australia

When do emus gather in groups?

Emus rarely get together and spend most of the year either alone or with a mate. The only exceptions are when emus come together to forage in the same area, or when they migrate across Australia.

While some emus are known to be seasonally monogamous, most congregate each year to find new mates. A single female emu often mates with multiple male emus, who fight each other ferociously to secure a single unmated male. After pairing, the emu couple will go their separate ways, and a pair can spend about half a year together.

Emus inhabit western, southeastern and southwestern Australia, and all populations migrate year-round. Western Australian emu populations tend to move north in summer and south in winter, while eastern emu populations tend to move sporadically throughout the year.

Emus can travel about 50 kilometers per day, mostly in search of food. They can lose a significant 50% of their body weight while crossing desert plains in search of food sources. Emus are thought to travel together because they chase the same rainfall, which is a signal for food.

A group of young emus in the bush near Crocodile Canyon in Wilmington, South Australia, part of the Flinders Ranges

How many emus are there in a flock?

Emus rarely form large or flocks of more than 20 or so individuals, but larger flocks have been observed. You may only see large groups of emus when they migrate in search of food. For example, a heavy rain may attract hundreds of emus to feed and drink.

Do emu families stay together?

Although generally solitary birds, emu families form strong seasonal bonds. Chicks are usually raised by the father and stay together as a close family unit until the next breeding season.

During this time, females may stay for several months, or may go out to find new single males. Emus are polyandrous, but some couples seem to stay together during different breeding seasons. Females can have up to 3 litters per year with different mates.

Emu and a flock of chicks

Do all emus congregate?

Emus cluster together for three reasons:

• Trans-Australian Migration
• feed
• looking for new partners

Otherwise, emus tend to be solitary, tending to spend a lot of time alone or with a mate.

What is a pair of emus called?

There is no specific name or term for a pair of emus. In fact, the etymology of the name emu itself is not clear, but may be derived from an Arabic adaptation by Portuguese explorers.

A pair of emus in the outback

What is a group of baby emus called?

A group of baby emus might be called a mob, just like a group of adult emus. Baby emus will stick to each other for at least half a year or so – they still have a lot of growth to do before they become independent adults!

During this time, they cling to the father, who assumes parenting responsibilities while the woman seeks another mate. Occasionally, females also spend time in the family unit.

A pair of emus, performing a mating ritual

Do emus need to be paired?

Emus are not monogamous and are often misquoted as life mates. However, mating emus do form a strong pair bond that lasts until the female produces her first litter. The male then incubates the eggs while the female wanders around to find a new mate to repeat the process.

This polyandrous behavior allows female emus to produce up to three litters a year, which is crucial to the survival of the species. In addition, emus are involved in brood parasitism, which means that females may actually lay eggs of other males in the same nest — and males may hatch eggs from multiple fathers.

Again, this high egg production and efficient brooding behavior are necessary for the survival of the emu species.