You’re standing in the middle of the Australian Outback. It’s hot. The air is thick with the scent of eucalyptus and dry earth. Suddenly, a giant, shaggy, flightless bird catches your eye. It looks goofy, honestly. It’s got these spindly legs and a bobbing head that makes it look like a feathered dinosaur that lost its way. But don’t let the awkward gait fool you. If that bird decides it needs to be somewhere else—or if it thinks you're a threat—you’re about to see a biological marvel in action. People always ask, how fast is an emu, usually right before they realize they could never outrun one.
They can hit 31 miles per hour. That’s nearly 50 kilometers per hour for those of us on the metric system.
Think about that for a second. Usain Bolt, the fastest human to ever live, topped out at about 27.8 mph during his record-breaking 100-meter sprint. An emu would leave him in the dust without even breaking a sweat—if emus could sweat, which they can't. They pant to cool down. It’s a terrifyingly efficient display of evolution. These birds have been around, in some form or another, for roughly 80 million years. You don't survive that long in the harsh Australian interior by being slow.
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The mechanics of the emu sprint
What makes them so quick? It’s all in the legs.
An emu’s legs are incredibly powerful, housing some of the strongest muscles of any bird on the planet. While most birds evolved for flight, the Dromaius novaehollandiae traded wings for raw ground power. Their wings are tiny—basically useless nubs about the size of a human hand, hidden under those hair-like feathers. But those legs? They’re like living pistons.
Each foot has three forward-facing toes. This is a huge deal for traction. While ostriches only have two toes, the emu’s three-toed design provides a more stable base for pivoting and sudden turns. It’s like the difference between running in racing flats versus specialized cleats. They can change direction on a dime at full speed. If a dingo is chasing them, the emu doesn't just run straight. It zig-zags. It jumps. It uses its momentum to bank into turns that would snap a human's ankles.
The calf muscles are particularly massive. In fact, emus are the only birds with gastrocnemius muscles (the calf) that are comparable to those in humans. They use these to propel themselves forward in strides that can be up to 9 feet long. Imagine covering nearly three meters in a single step. That is how they maintain that 31 mph pace over significant distances. They aren't just sprinters; they have remarkable stamina.
Why do they need to move that fast anyway?
Australia is a tough neighborhood. Historically, emus had to worry about the Thylacine (Tasmanian tiger) and Megalania (a giant monitor lizard that makes Komodo dragons look like geckos). Today, their main predators are dingoes and wedge-tailed eagles, though eagles mostly go for the chicks.
When an emu feels threatened, its first instinct is usually to run. They have incredible eyesight and hearing, allowing them to spot danger from a distance. Because they live in open plains and sclerophyll forests, there isn't always a place to hide. Speed is their primary defense.
But it’s not just about escape. Sometimes, it’s about migration. Emus are nomadic. They follow the rain. If there's a storm a hundred miles away, they can sense it. They’ll start walking, or trotting, to find the fresh green shoots and pools of water that follow the rainfall. Being able to cover vast distances quickly is a survival necessity in a country that is mostly desert.
Comparing the emu to the rest of the track team
It’s easy to get emus confused with their cousins, the ostriches or the cassowaries. But in the world of flightless birds, the emu holds a very specific middle ground.
- The Ostrich: The undisputed king of bird speed. An ostrich can hit 43 mph. They’re bigger, taller, and more aggressive.
- The Emu: Slower than the ostrich but arguably more agile. At 31 mph, they are the second-fastest birds on land.
- The Cassowary: These are the "murder birds" of the rainforest. They hit about 31 mph too, but they’re built like tanks. They don't run through open fields; they crash through dense jungle.
Honestly, the comparison to humans is the most humbling. Most of us struggle to run 12 mph. A fit athlete might hit 15. When you realize that an emu is moving more than twice as fast as your top speed, you start to respect the "Emu War" of 1932 a bit more. (Yes, the Australian military actually lost a "war" against these birds because they were too fast and too hardy to be effectively culled by machine guns. It’s a real thing that happened. Look it up.)
The "Emu Gait" and energy efficiency
There is something deeply weird about how an emu looks when it's moving. It’s a bouncy, rhythmic motion. Their bodies stay relatively level while their legs do all the frantic work underneath. This is actually an incredibly energy-efficient way to travel.
Biologists have studied the tendons in emu legs, which act like springs. They store elastic energy when the foot hits the ground and release it to help propel the bird forward into the next stride. It’s basically built-in pogo sticks. This allow them to maintain a "fast cruise" for miles without getting exhausted. They can travel 15 to 25 miles in a single day just looking for snacks.
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Their diet helps fuel this. They’re omnivores, but they love high-energy foods. Seeds, fruits, insects, and even small lizards. They don't just eat grass; they look for the good stuff. This high-protein, high-sugar diet gives them the glycogen stores needed for those explosive bursts of speed.
What happens if you get in their way?
Generally, emus are pretty chill. They’re curious. They might come up to your car or your campsite to see if you have any crackers (don't feed them, seriously). But if they get spooked, that speed becomes a weapon.
An emu running at full tilt is a 100-pound (45kg) projectile. If they hit you, it's going to hurt. But it’s the feet you really have to watch out for. Those three toes? They have sharp, heavy claws. When an emu is cornered, it doesn't just run; it kicks. It kicks forward and down with enough force to disembowel a predator.
This is why, despite being "fast," they aren't always running away. They are perfectly capable of standing their ground. The combination of 31 mph speed and a powerful forward kick makes them one of the most respected animals in the bush.
Myths about emu speed
A lot of people think emus can fly if they get a "running start." Total myth. Their feathers aren't even structured for flight. They lack the "hook" mechanism that keeps feathers together, so emu feathers look more like hair. They are strictly terrestrial.
Another misconception is that they are "dumb" runners. People see videos of them running into fences and assume they have no spatial awareness. The truth is more complex. Emus evolved for wide-open spaces. They didn't evolve for barbed wire or high-speed highways. Their eyes are on the sides of their heads, giving them nearly 360-degree vision, but their depth perception directly in front of them isn't as sharp as a predator's. They are built to see the dingo sneaking up from the side, not the fence line 200 meters ahead.
Why understanding their speed matters for conservation
As Australia develops, emus are encountering more roads. Because they move so fast, they often enter the roadway before a driver can react. Understanding that an emu can go from a standstill to 30 mph in a matter of seconds is crucial for people living in or visiting rural Australia.
They also face challenges from habitat fragmentation. Their need for speed is tied to their need for space. If we chop up the plains with fences and housing, we take away their ability to migrate toward water.
Real-world takeaways for your next Outback adventure
If you ever find yourself in the presence of an emu, keep these facts in mind. It changes the way you look at them.
- Give them a wide berth. You cannot outrun them. If they get agitated, your best bet is to stay calm and back away slowly.
- Watch the road. If you see one emu cross the road, wait. There are almost always more. Because they are fast, the second or third bird might bolt across right as you think the coast is clear.
- Appreciate the evolution. You are looking at a creature that has perfected land travel over millions of years. Their speed is a testament to the brutal efficiency of nature.
The next time someone asks you how fast is an emu, you can tell them they're basically feathered motorcycles with a bad attitude and a 9-foot stride. They are one of the fastest things on two legs, and in the right conditions, they are virtually untouchable.
To see emus in their natural habitat, head to places like the Flinders Ranges in South Australia or the Wilsons Promontory in Victoria. Bring binoculars, not running shoes. You won't need the shoes—you weren't going to win that race anyway.
Observe the way they move. Notice the spring in their step. It’s not just speed; it’s a masterclass in biological engineering. Whether they're casually trotting toward a watering hole or hitting a full-tilt 31 mph sprint to dodge a dingo, the emu remains one of the most impressive athletes in the animal kingdom. Understanding their speed helps us respect the distance they need to thrive in a world that’s increasingly crowded.