​By call

At around 10 – 14 months old they develop their individual calls. Both sexes will initially chirp (as chicks) and then both begin to grunt.  Once they are adults, they have easily distinguishable differences in their call. The most common time for emus to call is during the evening hours or just before rain.

Female call: Guttural drumming in two pitches. One is a higher and faster sound made when excited or stressed. Their other a deeper, richer booming that sounds like a drum (a sample audio is attached below).

Male call : Variety of grunting sounds, varying from short stuttering grunts to deep gruff sounds (a sample audio is attached below). Males will also whistle to their chicks.
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Click to listen to the female emu call
File Size: 1386 kb
File Type: mp3
Download File
Click to listen to the male emu call
File Size: 917 kb
File Type: mp3
Download File
By sight
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It is very difficult to tell male and female emus apart by sight.
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If you have a breeding pair, the female is slightly larger than the male, as well as being slightly darker during the breeding season (January – June). She has a pronounced airsac (on her lower neck), whilst the male does not. Additionally, the males penis can be seen when defecating and the male can been recognised during copulation, by being positioned behind the female.
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