Editing Emu (section)

=== Diet ===
[[File:Emu feeding on grass.ogg|thumb|thumbtime=00:43|An emu foraging in grass]]

Emus forage in a [[diurnality|diurnal]] pattern and eat a variety of native and introduced plant species. The diet depends on seasonal availability with such plants as ''[[Acacia]]'', ''[[Casuarina]]'' and [[Poaceae|grasses]] being favoured.<ref name=HBWA>{{cite book |title=Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive |last=Bruce |first=M.D. |year=1999 |editor-last=del Hoyo |editor-first=J. |editor2-last=Elliott |editor2-first=A. |editor3-last=Sargatal |editor3-first=J. |chapter=Common emu (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') |publisher=Lynx Edicions |isbn=978-84-87334-25-2 |chapter-url=http://www.hbw.com/species/common-emu-dromaius-novaehollandiae |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/handbookofbirdso0001unse }}{{subscription required}}</ref> They also eat insects and other arthropods, including grasshoppers and [[Cricket (insect)|crickets]], [[beetle]]s, [[cockroach]]es, [[Coccinellidae|ladybirds]], [[Bogong moth|bogong]] and [[Heliothis|cotton-boll]] moth larvae, ants, [[spider]]s and [[millipede]]s.<ref name=HBWA/><ref>{{cite book |author1=Barker, R.D. |author2=Vertjens, W.J.M. |year=1989 |title=The Food of Australian Birds: 1 Non-Passerines |publisher= CSIRO Australia |isbn=978-0-643-05007-5}}</ref> This provides a large part of their protein requirements.<ref name=e44 /> In Western Australia, food preferences have been observed in travelling emus; they eat seeds from ''[[Acacia aneura]]'' until the rains arrive, after which they move on to fresh grass shoots and caterpillars; in winter they feed on the leaves and pods of ''[[Cassia (genus)|Cassia]]'' and in spring, they consume [[grasshopper]]s and the fruit of ''[[Santalum acuminatum]]'', a sort of quandong.<ref name="S. Davies" /><ref name="Powell">{{cite book|title=Leaf and branch: Trees and tall shrubs of Perth |author=Powell, Robert |publisher= Department of Conservation and Land Management |year=1990 |page=197 |isbn=978-0-7309-3916-0}}</ref> They are also known to feed on wheat,<ref name=e31>Eastman, p. 31.</ref> and any fruit or other crops that they can access, easily climbing over high fences if necessary.<ref name=e44 /> Emus serve as an important agent for the dispersal of large viable seeds, which contributes to floral biodiversity.<ref name="Powell" /><ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1071/MU99030|author1=McGrath, R.J. |author2=Bass, D. |year=1999 |title=Seed dispersal by emus on the New South Wales north-east coast |journal=[[Emu (journal)|Emu]] |volume=99 |pages=248–252|issue=4|bibcode=1999EmuAO..99..248M }}</ref> One undesirable effect of this occurred in Queensland in the early twentieth century when emus fed on the fruit of [[Opuntia|prickly pears]] in the outback. They defecated the seeds in various places as they moved around, and this led to a series of campaigns to hunt emus and prevent the seeds of the invasive cactus being spread.<ref name=e44>Eastman, p. 44.</ref> The cacti were eventually controlled by an introduced moth (''[[Cactoblastis cactorum]]'') whose larvae fed on the plant, one of the earliest examples of [[Biological pest control|biological control]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/55301/IPA-Prickly-Pear-Story-PP62.pdf |title=The prickly pear story |year=2015 |publisher=Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation, State of Queensland |access-date=21 July 2015}}</ref> The [[δ13C|δ{{sup|13}}C]] of the emu's diet is reflected in the δ{{sup|13}}C of the [[calcite]] of its egg shell.<ref name="Lynch-et-al-2007">{{cite journal | last1=Lynch | first1=Amanda H. | last2=Beringer | first2=Jason | last3=Kershaw | first3=Peter | last4=Marshall | first4=Andrew | last5=Mooney | first5=Scott | last6=Tapper | first6=Nigel | last7=Turney | first7=Chris | last8=Van Der Kaars | first8=Sander | title=Using the Paleorecord to Evaluate Climate and Fire Interactions in Australia | journal=[[Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences]] | publisher=[[Annual Reviews (publisher)|Annual Reviews]] | volume=35 | issue=1 | year=2007 | issn=0084-6597 | doi=10.1146/annurev.earth.35.092006.145055 | pages=215–239| bibcode=2007AREPS..35..215L }}</ref>

[[Gastrolith|Small stones]] are swallowed to assist in the grinding up and digestion of the plant material. Individual stones may weigh {{convert|45|g|oz|abbr=on|1}} and the birds may have as much as {{convert|745|g|lb|abbr=on}} in their [[gizzard]]s at one time. They also eat charcoal, although the reason for this is unclear.<ref name="S. Davies" /> Captive emus have been known to eat shards of glass, marbles, car keys, jewellery and nuts and bolts.<ref name=e44 />

Emus drink infrequently but ingest large amounts when the opportunity arises. They typically drink once a day, first inspecting the water body and surrounding area in groups before kneeling down at the edge to drink. They prefer being on firm ground while drinking, rather than on rocks or mud, but if they sense danger, they often stand rather than kneel. If not disturbed, they may drink continuously for ten minutes. Due to the scarcity of water sources, emus are sometimes forced to go without water for several days. In the wild, they often share water holes with other animals such as kangaroos; they are wary and tend to wait for the other animals to leave before drinking.<ref name=e15>Eastman, p. 15.</ref>