Another weird creature unique to Australia is also one of the largest birds called the emu. Its name roots from a Portuguese word “emma”, which means “a large bird”. The male emu can often stand as high as 2 meters, earning the eminent title of being Australia’s largest bird.

Australia's birdlife is among the world's richest, with around 740 different species, 60% of which are endemic to the continent and its islands. Flashes of color in the bush, accompanied by a cacophony of raucous squawking, signal the presence of tightly-packed flocks of one or more of Australia's 55 parrot species.

Among the world's most unusual ayes is the famous Australian lyrebird, with its lyre-shaped plumes and mimicking calls that can perfectly copy even such sounds as chainsaws and ambulence sirens. Equally beautiful are the many birds of paradise, which show off their striking plumage in tropical northern Queensland and Arnhemland in the Northern Territory.