📷 (c) Oscar Dove, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY
📷 (c) Oscar Dove, some rights reserved (CC BY)
📷 (c) Oscar Dove, some rights reserved (CC BY)
IUCN: Least Concern
Southern Cassowary
Casuarius casuarius
KingdomAnimalia›PhylumChordata›ClassAves›OrderCasuariiformes›FamilyCasuariidae›GenusCasuarius
About
The southern cassowary is a large flightless bird with glossy black plumage, a blue neck, and a tall casque on its head. It swallows many rainforest fruits whole and spreads seeds across long distances. Although shy, cassowaries are powerful birds with dagger-like inner claws and need intact rainforest corridors to thrive.
Key Facts
⛰Habitat Tropical rainforest, swamp forest, and dense woodland
🍃Diet Mostly fruit; also fungi, insects, and small vertebrates
📏Size & Weight Height 1.3–1.8 m
•weight Females up to 58 kg; males usually smaller
⏳Lifespan 20–40 years
🗺Range New Guinea, nearby islands, and northeastern Australia
BirdRatite
Key Facts
⛰Habitat Tropical rainforest, swamp forest, and dense woodland
🍃Diet Mostly fruit; also fungi, insects, and small vertebrates
📏Size & Weight Height 1.3–1.8 m
•weight Females up to 58 kg; males usually smaller
⏳Lifespan 20–40 years
🗺Range New Guinea, nearby islands, and northeastern Australia
Photo Credits
#1(c) Oscar Dove, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY
#2(c) Oscar Dove, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY
#3(c) Oscar Dove, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY
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