Emu vs Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Dromaius novaehollandiae compared with Amazona aestiva
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Emu | Turquoise-fronted Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dromaius novaehollandiae | Amazona aestiva |
| Order | Casuariiformes | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Dromaiidae | Psittacidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 175.0 cm (68.9 in) | 36.0 cm (14.2 in) |
| Wingspan | 20.0 cm (7.9 in) | 55.0 cm (21.7 in) |
| Weight | 45000.0 g (1587.33 oz) | 400.0 g (14.11 oz) |
| Diet | Plants, seeds, fruits, flowers, and insects. Swallows large stones and charcoal to grind food in … | Seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, and flowers. Feeds in tree canopy in noisy flocks. Occasionally raids … |
| Clutch Size | 5-24 | 1-5 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Emu
Open grasslands, savanna woodlands, scrublands, and semi-arid plains across Australia. Avoids dense forest and true desert.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Tropical and subtropical forests, woodland, savanna, and palm groves in South America.
Song & Call Comparison
Emu
Deep, resonant booming grunt 'e-moo', often repeated 3 times. Females give a deep drumming call produced by an inflatable throat pouch. Generally low-pitched and far-carrying.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Loud, raucous squawking and screaming calls. Capable of impressive vocal mimicry including human speech. Contact call is a rolling 'arr-arr'. Highly vocal in social groups.
Geographic Range & Migration
Emu
Throughout mainland Australia. Absent from Tasmania, where the Tasmanian emu was driven to extinction by 1850.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Interior of South America including Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and northern Argentina.
Conservation Status
Emu
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
How to Tell Them Apart
Emu
Shaggy grey-brown plumage with double-shafted feathers giving a loose, hair-like appearance. Bare blue skin on the face and neck.
Broad, flat, dark grey bill
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
Green body with a turquoise-blue forehead, yellow face, and red and blue wing patches. Red at the bend of the wing visible in flight.
Strong, hooked, dark grey upper mandible with a paler lower mandible
About These Birds
Emu
The emu is the second-tallest living bird and the largest bird native to Australia. It is the only bird with calf muscles, enabling powerful running at up to 50 km/h. In the famous Emu War of 1932, the Australian military was deployed against crop-raiding emus — and the emus arguably won.
Turquoise-fronted Amazon
The turquoise-fronted amazon is one of the most popular pet parrots in the world, prized for its ability to mimic human speech and its engaging personality. In the wild, these sociable parrots roost communally in large flocks and fly in pairs to feeding sites at dawn. Habitat loss and trapping for the pet trade threaten wild populations.