Emu vs White-tailed Eagle
Dromaius novaehollandiae compared with Haliaeetus albicilla
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Emu | White-tailed Eagle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Dromaius novaehollandiae | Haliaeetus albicilla |
| Order | Casuariiformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Dromaiidae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 175.0 cm (68.9 in) | 84.0 cm (33.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 20.0 cm (7.9 in) | 225.0 cm (88.6 in) |
| Weight | 45000.0 g (1587.33 oz) | 5200.0 g (183.42 oz) |
| Diet | Plants, seeds, fruits, flowers, and insects. Swallows large stones and charcoal to grind food in … | Fish, waterfowl, and carrion. Often pirates food from other birds. Takes fish from the water … |
| Clutch Size | 5-24 | 1-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Emu
Open grasslands, savanna woodlands, scrublands, and semi-arid plains across Australia. Avoids dense forest and true desert.
White-tailed Eagle
Coastlines, large lakes, and rivers with mature trees or cliffs for nesting. Requires large undisturbed areas.
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.
White-tailed Eagle
High-pitched, yelping 'klee-klee' and deep barking 'ra-ra-ra'. Less vocal than Bald Eagle but similar chattering quality. Gives gull-like wailing near nest in breeding season.
Geographic Range & Migration
Emu
Throughout mainland Australia. Absent from Tasmania, where the Tasmanian emu was driven to extinction by 1850.
White-tailed Eagle
Northern Europe and Asia from Greenland and Scandinavia to Japan. Reintroduced to Scotland and Ireland.
Conservation Status
Emu
White-tailed Eagle
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
White-tailed Eagle
Brown body with a paler head in adults and a distinctive short white wedge-shaped tail. Massive broad wings in flight. Juveniles are darker overall.
Very large, heavy, pale yellow bill
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.
White-tailed Eagle
The white-tailed eagle is Europe's largest eagle and the fourth-largest eagle in the world. Once extinct in Britain, it has been successfully reintroduced to Scotland and Ireland through conservation programs. These powerful raptors can live over 25 years and form lifelong pair bonds.