Southern Cassowary
Casuarius casuarius
Adults inhabit the rainforests and wet thickets of northeastern Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands. They are mostly fruit-eaters, swallowing large fallen fruits whole and dispersing seeds across long distances, but they also take fungi, invertebrates, and small carrion. Solitary and wary, they defend themselves with explosive kicks from powerful legs armed with a long inner toe claw. The tall casque on the head may help with display, movement through dense vegetation, and sensing low-frequency sounds.
- Type
- Brute
- Conservation status
- LC
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- Southern Cassowary