Emu Escapades: A Happy Ending at Animal Adventure Park

After nearly a year of taking phone calls and emails about a stray emu roaming rural areas of Broome County, the bird is finally safe and sound at Animal Adventure Park & Preserve.

A Roaming Emu in Broome County

Last summer, Animal Adventure began getting reports of sightings of an emu wandering around Windsor and Harpursville. People thought that the bird had escaped from either the Park or Preserve, but all birds from both facilities were accounted for.

The Great Emu Chase

On Tuesday, April 1st, 2025, the emu was sighted by neighbors on Cafferty Road, and the next day, it was spotted in a field off Colesville Road. According to the Park's management team, it is likely that the emu escaped from a local hobby farm.

Surviving the Winter

With no recent reports of escaped emus, it’s believed that this female emu has survived the cold winter months and is possibly the same bird that was reported in 2024.

A Love Story in the Making

Known for being quite loud during the breeding season, the emu was likely drawn to The Preserve Safari area looking for a male emu to mate with, which is typical behavior during the spring season.

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Lilith's Rescue and Homecoming

Park owner Jordan Patch and the animal care team responded to the situation and rescued the emu, who will now be known as Lilith, and took her to Animal Adventure Park. Lilith is in quarantine, following standard protocol for new animals entering the facility.

A Happy Ending

"We are pleased there is a happy ending to this story," said Jordan Patch, owner of Animal Adventure Park. "After quarantine and veterinary clearance, we look forward to Lilith joining her new feathered friends in our safari park - where she will get that “date” with one of our males!"

By the way, Animal Adventure Park will be opening for the season on April 22nd and hopefully Lilith will be out of quarantine by then.