Runaway: Really Big, Freaky Fast Bird; Don't Approach

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Have you seen an emu on the lam, missing from – we swear on Big Bird’s life we’re not making this up – Peck Lake Road in Ionia County?

The runaway is described on the Ionia County Central Dispatch Facebook page as “very fast.” Its feathers are black and gray, and it resembles a small ostrich.

The emu’s picture alone is worth 1,000 words and has been shared more than 500 times. Commenters have reported seeing the runaway bird in various locations around Ionia County.

»The emu has been found. Click here to find out more.

“OK,” commented Facebook user Jani Millard, “ ‘trying’ to take this seriously – but the picture just cracks me up.”

A commenter who goes by Molly Marie had some words of caution. Her parents owned emu, and they’re not only hard to catch, but have sharp claws they’ll use defensively against anyone who does manage to capture them.

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“These are very mean birds,” Katherine Beebe commented. “Be careful approaching. They are also attracted to shiny objects and will strike anything they feel unsafe from, even tattoos.”

Austin Swanger commented that there’s “no way to out-run one.”

“These thing are freaky, and I wouldn’t wanna come across one if they are mad,” he wrote.