Beautiful Birds

 Southern Cassowary

Scientific Classification 

Scientific Name  -  Casuarius casuarius

Domain                - Eukaryota

Kingdom              - Animalia

Phylum                - Chordata

Class                     - Aves

Order                   - Casuariiformes

Family                 - Casuariidae

Genus                  - Casuarius

Species                - C.casuarius

The  Southern Cassowary, also known as double-wattled cassowary, Australian cassowary or two-wattled cassowary, is a large fightless black bird. It is one of the three living species of cassowary, alongside the dwarf cassowary and the  Southern Cassowary. In total, there are an estimated 20,000 to 50,000 cassowaries in the wild, but the true figure might be higher. Australia's cassowary population is estimated to be about 4,000 individuals. 

Cassowaries are one of the closet living species to  dinosaurs and one of the key visual features of this stocky bird that proves it, is the casque on it's head. The  Southern Cassowary is an extremely important species in far North Queensland's tropical rainforests. It is the rainforest gardener, a ' keystone species ' that maintains the balance and diversity of it's rainforest home though it's role as a seed disperser.

As tall as a person, with a high helmet on it's head, a vivid blue neck and long drooping red wattles. The  Southern Cassowary is found only in the tropical rainforests of north-east Queensland, Papua New Guinea and some surrounding islands. The  Southern Cassowary is the largest, reaching 5.8 feet ( 170cm )in height. Males weigh up to 121 pounds ( 55kg ) and females reach about 167 pounds ( 76kg ). They have two wattles, a sagging, jiggling, colorful piece of red skin below the chin on the front of the neck. The cassowary is Australia's heaviest bird weighing up to 76kg. Life span of approximately 30 years in the wild and between 18 to 50 years in captivity.

Although cassowaries should not be considered dangerous, they can cause serious injuries. Seven attacks against humans resulted in serious injuries ( puncture wounds, lacerations, broken bone ) and subsequently one death, caused by cassowaries kicking or jumping on victims. 

Cassowaries play an important role in maintain  the diversity of rainforest trees. Cassowaries are one of only a few frugivores ( fruit eaters ) that can disperse large rainforest fruits, and the only species that can carry large seeded fruits over long distances.

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