Casuariiformes Casuariiformes The Casuariiformes is an order of large flightless bird that has four surviving members: the three species of cassowary, and the only remaining species of emu. They are divided into either a single family, Casuariidae, or more typically two, with the emu splitting off into its own family, Dromaiidae. All four living members are native to Australia-New Guinea, but some possible extinct taxa occurred in other landmasses. The emus form a distinct family, characterized by legs adapted for running. As with all ratites, there are several contested theories concerning their evolution and relationships. As regards this order, it is
Emu-wren of the smallest, the rufous-crowned, to 7.5 g of the southern emu-wren. The three species of emu-wrens each live in distinct habitats: the southern emu-wren preferring marshes and heathland, the mallee emu-wren inhabiting spinifex understory in mallee woodland, and the rufous-crowned emu-wren dwelling in spinifex in desert areas. Emu-wrens are fairly secretive and hard to spot, living in low shrub cover. They are predominantly insectivorous, but supplement their diet with seeds. Their furtive behaviour and brown colour has resulted in them being mistaken for bush mice. Emu-wren The emu-wrens ("Stipiturus") are a genus of passerine birds in the Australasian wren