Pennsylvania newscasters debate whether the big bird caught on a Pennsylvania highway is an ostrich or an emu.
ChattyG offers the following criteria for judging:
Main differences between ostrich and emu:
1. Size:
• Ostrich: Taller (up to 9 ft), heavier (up to 320 lbs).
• Emu: Shorter (up to 6.2 ft), lighter (up to 130 lbs).
2. Neck and legs:
• Ostrich: Long, bare neck and legs; two toes.
• Emu: Shorter, feathered neck; three toes.
3. Coloration:
• Ostrich: Males have black-and-white plumage; females are brownish-gray.
• Emu: Both sexes are uniformly gray-brown.
4. Speed:
• Ostrich: Up to 45 mph.
• Emu: Up to 30 mph.
5. Location:
• Ostrich: Native to Africa.
• Emu: Native to Australia.
From video footage:
• If the bird is very tall with a bare neck and two toes: ostrich.
• If the bird has a shaggy, brown-gray appearance with a shorter neck and three toes: emu.
What do you think? Emu or ostrich?
Previously:
• Paul Manafort's $15000 ostrich jacket
• How to survive an ostrich attack
• Ostrich halts traffic on South Dakota highway
