Emu or ostrich?
How to tell them apart
The African ostrich is taller and heavier. The emu is the third-tallest living bird, after the two ostrich species.
Quick answers
They give the same 8 quick answers, so in the game it comes down to the clues below.
| Question | Emu | Ostrich |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Bird | Bird |
| Carnivore? | Omnivore | Omnivore |
| Dangerous? | Can be | Can be |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? | Daytime | Daytime |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? | No | No |
| Do people eat it? | Yes | Yes |
At a glance
| Question | Emu | Ostrich |
|---|---|---|
| Found in differs | Australia | Africa |
| Habitat differs | Grassland, Scrub, Forest, Desert | Grassland, Desert, Scrub |
| Size differs | Large | Huge |
| Height differs | Up to 1.9 m | 2.1–2.75 m (males) |
| Weight differs | 36–40 kg | 100–130 kg (males) |
| Legs | 2 | 2 |
| Covered in | Feathers | Feathers |
| Lives | In groups | In groups |
| Lives for differs | 10–20 years | 40–45 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims | Yes | Yes |
| Lays eggs | Yes | Yes |
About each
Emu
A flightless bird found only in Australia, the country’s tallest native bird and the third-tallest living bird after the two ostriches. It can sprint at 48 km/h and go for weeks without eating.
Ostrich
The tallest and heaviest living bird, flightless and native to parts of Africa. It lays the largest eggs of any living bird and is the fastest runner on two legs.
Everything on the ostrich page
Sources
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Side by side.