Three species of huge, flightless birds from the tropical forests of New Guinea, nearby islands and northeastern Australia. The southern cassowary is the third-heaviest living bird. They eat mainly fruit, swim well, and can jump 1.5 m.
Quick answers
What is it?Bird
Carnivore?Omnivore
Dangerous?Yes
Wary of people, but if provoked it can cause serious, even fatal, injuries by kicking with its dagger-like inner claw.
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Daytime
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?No
At a glance
Found inAustralia, Asia, New Guinea
HabitatRainforest
ColoursBlack, Blue, Red
SizeLarge
Height1.5–1.8 m (southern cassowary), some females 2 m
Weight15–76 kg
Legs2
Covered inFeathers
Lives alone
Lives for40–60 years
Can swim
Lays eggs
In the wild
- Where it lives
- New Guinea, the Moluccas (Seram and Aru Islands) and northeastern Australia.
- What it eats
- Mainly fruit, from at least 26 plant families.
Did you know
Widely called the most dangerous bird alive, with a dagger claw on each inner toe.
The male incubates the eggs for 50–52 days.
Wild cassowaries live about 18–20 years; in captivity up to 40.
Often confused with
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