| Southern Cassowary | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Casuariiformes |
| Family: | Casuariidae |
| Genus: | Casuarius |
| Species: | Casuarius casuarius |
The Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is a large, flightless bird. It is the largest member of the Cassowary family and the second heaviest bird on earth.
Appearance[]
Its maximum size is estimated to be 85 kg (187 lb) and 190 cm (74 in). It is a black bird with hard and stiff plumage, a brown casque, blue face and neck, red nape and two red wattles hanging down its throat. The three-toed feet are thick and powerful. The plumage is sexually monomorphic, but the female is slightly larger with a longer casque and brighter-colored bare parts. The immature bird has plain brown plumage. Male cassowaries are the world's most aggressive birds and can peck and bite but its strongest weapon is its kick. It is equipped with a lethal dagger like claw on the inner toe, on each of its three toed feet. The younger (a year old) cassowary is small and light brown with horizontal black lines going down its back.
Distribution[]
The Southern Cassowary is distributed in tropical rainforests of Aru and Seram Islands of Indonesia, New Guinea and northeastern Australia. It is technically the largest Asian bird (since the extinction of the Arabian Ostrich) and the largest Australian bird as it is 6 feet tall and heavy as a man. (Though the Emu is one foot taller).
Feeding[]
This bird looks on the forest floor for fallen fruit.
Conservation status[]
Due to ongoing habitat loss, limited range and overhunting in some areas, the Southern Cassowary is evaluated as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.