Differences between Emu and Sparrow

Emu and Sparrow are two classes of birds that belong to the Dromaiidae and Passeridae families respectively.

Emu is the second largest bird in the world. It is largely depicted in Australian mythology and folklore. The bird is characterized by its long neck and legs. The legs are powerful with each foot having three forward-facing toes. The plumage of Emus is dishevelled. It is usually greyish brown with black tips for absorption of ultra violet radiation. The feathers are silky, soft, and absorb water. The tail feathers are however stiff and are used to intimidate predators. Emus are terrestrial and have small vestigial wings. Emus have exceptionally large eyes that are red with black iris. They have two eyelids – while one blinks, the other blocks dust. The beaks are short and strong. They are used for plucking rough foliage.

Sparrows are one of the most commonly found birds in the world. They are petite birds with a round head and small beak that is shaped like a cone. Their plumage is either brown or grey with white streaks. The feather on their belly is usually white. The birds have a long and stiff tail. An interesting fact about Sparrows is that they have a bone in their tongue. As these are perching birds, they have clawed feet with three forward-pointing and one backward-pointing toe. Sparrows are songbirds that make chirping sounds. There are over 140 species of these birds in the world. They are generally classified as Old World species and New World species. Sparrows are mentioned in mythology and the Bible. Their earliest fossils, found in caves in Israel, are dated back to over 100,000 years.

Where are Emu and Sparrow found?

Emus live in woodlands, deserts, eucalyptus forests, and regions covered with shrubs. The birds exist only in Australia. Two of their subspecies once existed in King Island and Tasmania. They are now extinct.

Sparrows prefer thick forests, open fields, agricultural farms, and fringes of forests. However, a large population of Sparrows also live in the parks, gardens, and buildings of cities. The Old World species of Sparrows originally belong to Asia, Africa, and Europe. The New World species have been introduced in North America, South America, Australia, and New Zealand.

What do Emu and Sparrow eat?

Emus are carnivores although they primarily eat plants. The birds typically eat healthiest parts of the plants, such as fruits, berries, flowers, leaves, grains, and seeds. When accessible, they also eat insects, lizards, snakes, mice, and rodents.

Sparrows are omnivores. They largely eat seeds and grains like cereals, wheat, rice, oats, and corn. They also eat insects and worms. Occasionally the birds eat human food refuse.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Emu and Sparrow

• Neither Emu nor Sparrow eat Fish.
• Both Emu and Sparrow eat Frogs.
• Both Emu and Sparrow eat Lizards.
• Emu do eat Snakes while Sparrow may not eat Snakes.
• Neither Emu nor Sparrow eat Turtles.
• Neither Emu nor Sparrow eat Squirrels.
• Emu and Sparrow do not eat Gophers.
• Both Emu and Sparrow do not eat Baby Ducks.
• Emu do eat Mice while Sparrow may not eat Mice.

Size of Emu and Sparrow?

When it comes to size, Emus are only smaller than Ostriches. They are about 5.8 feet in height.. The size of Sparrows depends on the species. The average size is however 0.5-0.6 feet in length. Chestnut Sparrow is the smallest Sparrow with a length of 0.4 feet, while the Parrot-billed Sparrow is the largest with a length of 0.59 feet.

Emus are well-built birds. The male birds weigh about 71 pounds, while the females weigh around 81 pounds. while The average weight of the Sparrow is 0.84 ounce. The weight of the Chestnut Sparrow is 0.5 ounce and that of the Parrot-billed Sparrow is 1.5 ounce.

Where do Emu and Sparrow nest?

Emus nest on the ground as they cannot get on top of trees or buildings. The nests rest on the surface of the ground or in shallow craters dug up by the partners. The male Emu usually builds the nest with grass, twigs, and leaves. The nests are typically one to two meters in diameter. Emu eggs are dark green with blue spots when they are laid. They eventually turn greyish or brownish owing to exposure to sunlight. The male bird incubates the eggs continuously without food or water and loses considerable weight by the time the eggs hatch. The young ones emerge in about 56 days. The chicks of Emus are five inches tall and about 17.6 ounces in weight when they hatch. They are born with brown and white stripes that fade after three months. During this time, they will not be able to regulate their body temperature. Hence, their father takes care of them for nearly six months. The chicks stay with the father and their siblings for about one and a half years.

Sparrows build their nests in holes and cavities of small trees, in shrubs, and buildings. They prefer their nests to be closer to the ground. The nests generally look spherical and measure eight to 10 inches in diameter. The female and male partners construct the nest using straw, twigs, roots, leaves, grass, paper, thread, wool, and feather. The eggs are completely white, or bluish white, or greenish white with brown spots. Both partners incubate the eggs. The eggs hatch in 10-14 days. The young ones that are fed by both parents fledge in about two weeks.

How long do Emu and Sparrow live?

The average age of Emus is 10-20 years in the wild. In captivity, they live up to 35 years. The oldest known lived Emu was 38 years old.

Sparrows are known to live for four to seven years. Some species can even live up to 20 years. The House Sparrows live until 23 years in captivity.

Are Emu or Sparrow migratory birds?

Emus are nomadic birds. Their migratory pattern depends on their location in Australia. The birds from western parts relocate to south-west in winters and north-east in summers. However, the Emus in eastern parts of the country do not migrate long distances. They do not follow a standard migratory pattern. It is understood that food sources and weather are the chief factors that drive the migration of Emus. They either migrate in pairs or in flocks.

Not all Sparrows are migratory. The ones from Canada, North America, northern parts of Europe, and east Asia migrate during winters. The House Sparrows typically do not migrate as they do not encounter harsh weather or scarcity of food in any time of the year. Among the migratory species, American Tree Sparrow migrates from North America and Canada to the USA, while the Savannah Sparrow travels from Alaska to the USA. In northern and central Europe, migration takes place among Eurasian Tree Sparrow that relocates to Africa. The Russet Sparrow is a species from Himalayas that spends its time in south-east Asia during winters.

Do Emu and Sparrow fly in flocks?

A flock of Emus is known as a mob. These birds are solitary, shy, and curious. They may also fight amongst themselves. They live alone most of the time. The exception is when they pair up during the breeding season. Also, when they have to travel in quest for new food sources, they form large flocks.

A group of Sparrows is called a flock. The birds are highly sociable. They live in colonies of about 20 birds, which may even extend to about a 100. The birds are always found in groups, foraging, flying, and roosting together. Their nests are also built next to each other during the breeding season. Sparrows are also intelligent birds. They are known for cooperation and teamwork. The birds work together to find food, build nests, preen feathers, and remove lice and parasites from their skin. They chirp incessantly to let their group know about where they are. As Sparrows are tiny birds, living in large flocks also helps in intimidating the predator and also mobbing the predator if required.

Are Emu or Sparrow protected?

Emus are protected in Australia. Capturing Emus from the wild is illegal. However, they can be reared in farms with a licence. Emus are commercially bred in the country as trading of their meat, eggs, feathers, and oil is widespread.

Not all species of Sparrows are protected. For example, the House Sparrow is not protected in the USA. It has partial protection in the UK, where shooting it with a licence is allowed. The species is fully protected in Canada.

Are Emu or Sparrow endangered?

Emus exist in large populations in Australia. They are listed as species of least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. Emus however face several threats. Birds like eagles and hawks attack Emu chicks, while snakes and other predators steal eggs from the nest. Migrating Emus often get killed in large numbers at dog fences of agricultural lands. Further, some of them also die in road accidents. Forest fires, drought, and loss of habitat due to urbanization and claiming of forest land for cropping are other threats that these birds confront.

Sparrows are not endangered but their numbers are on a steep decline. Factors affecting the population of Sparrows are loss of habitat, scarcity of food, urbanization, radiation from mobile towers, pollution, use of pesticides in farmlands, and hunting.

Can Emu and Sparrow fly?

Emus are flightless birds. Their bone structure does not support flying. Further, they are too heavy to lift themselves for aviation. Emus are nevertheless great sprinters. Their powerful legs, calf muscles, and toes permit them to run as fast as 30 miles an hour. They flap their wings for balance while running. Emus travel long distances in search of food and for migration. They do this on foot, covering nearly 310 miles each time. On a daily basis, the birds commute about 15 miles.

Sparrows fly by taking off directly, flapping their wings, and folding their legs. Their average flying speed is 24-31 miles an hour. The altitude range they can fly at varies for different species. While most of them normally fly at around 500 feet, some fly at around 2,000 feet. During migration they fly 5,000-20,000 feet high and cover 15-600 miles in a day. Sparrows fly in flocks because they are tiny birds and flying in groups supports energy conservation. It will also help them spot and threaten predators. On the ground, Sparrows are commonly seen hopping. They jump forward and backward for scraping mud, leaves, or grass with their toes and search for food underneath.

Can Emu and Sparrow swim?

Emus are not regular swimmers. However, they can swim well if they have to with the help of their strong legs. They enjoy swimming and waters. They also like to bathe by rolling themselves in shallow waters and shaking up to remove water from their soaked feathers.

Sparrows are not regular swimmers. However, they can swim fast to escape from danger. Some species like the House Sparrow can even swim under water. Sparrows regularly bathe in water, sometimes even in a puddle. They wiggle in water to loosen up the dirt on their feathers and to control body temperature.

Mating patterns among Emu and Sparrow

Emus become sexually mature when they are 1.5 to two years old. During courtship, the male makes the first move by encircling the female with his dances and head movements. When the female accepts the proposal to mate, she strides around the male by making specific calls. The partners strut together, surround each other, dance together, tilt their heads bashfully, and flutter their feathers as part of mating. The female lays an egg per three to four days in the nest built by her partner. She generally lays 30-50 eggs each breeding season. The male incubates the eggs and takes care of the hatched chicks by feeding and protecting them.

Depending on the species, Sparrows start mating when they are five to nine months old. The birds mate in small colonies. During courtship, the male hops around the female with inflated chest, raised tail, and slouched wings. He also chirps and sings for her. The partners copulate until the female can lay eggs. They produce nearly four broods in a breeding season. The female lays one to eight eggs in a clutch. Both partners incubate the eggs and raise the chicks.

When is the mating season for Emu and Sparrow ?

Mating season for Emus occur during February-June although they start pairing in December and January.

The mating season for sparrows depends on geography. It can range from March to August. The courtship can begin as early as January.

Do Emu and Sparrow mate for life?

Emus are monogamous socially as they live with their partners most times of the year. However, after mating with a male and laying eggs at his nest, the female mates with new partners and lays multiple clutches of eggs at different nesting sites. During this time, her original partner carries out his duties of incubating the eggs and raising his chicks. For this reason, Emu symbolizes fatherhood in the folklore and culture of Australia.

Sparrows mate for life. They remain monogamous throughout their life and return to the same nesting territory every year. When one of the partners is lost or dies, the surviving partner finds another mate within a few days.

How do Emu and Sparrow sleep?

Emus retire for the day after sunset. They lay down on the ground to sleep. While the younger birds stretch their neck perpendicular to the body, the adults generally fold the neck, resting it on their back. The eyes remain closed when the birds are in slumber. While asleep, Emus also arrange their feathers in a such way that if it rains, the water flows down. The birds do not sleep uninterruptedly until sunrise. They wake up once in about two hours for defecating and feeding.

Sparrows roost in large groups while perching on trees. They may even shelter inside tree holes and cavities. They draw together to stay warm on cold nights. Their usual sleeping posture is head tucked inside plumped up feathers.

Can Emu and Sparrow be eaten?

Emu meat is widely consumed and relished. It is considered to be rich in proteins, vitamin C, and iron. While it is illegal to capture Emus from the wild for their meat, rearing of the birds for meat and eggs is permitted.

Sparrows are widely consumed by people. They are a delicacy in French, Italian, Japanese, and German cuisines. As the law in most countries provide protection only to some species of Sparrows, obtaining the bird meat for food is not restricted.

Can you hunt Emu or Sparrow?

The laws in Australia do not allow hunting of Emus in the wild. However, culling of the birds on private properties under a licence is permitted.

Sparrows are hunted for their meat. They are considered a pest by farmers, who kill them to save their crops. Hunting Sparrows is allowed in some countries, while killing them with a licence is permitted in few others.

Can you feed Emu or Sparrow?

In captivity, such as breeding farms, Emus are fed with vegetables, insects, worms, and poultry feed.

Sparrows can be fed with a mix of seeds, corn, millets, fruits, and insects.