Animal Profiles
Birds

Cassowary

Casuarius

Living

Living individuals or members of this group exist today. This does not mean they are safe from extinction.

Cassowaries are large flightless forest birds. This account describes the southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), which walks through tropical forest in search of fallen fruit.

Casuarius casuarius (cassowary)

Representative species: Casuarius casuarius.

Summerdrought · CC BY-SA

At a glance

Location
New Guinea and northeastern Australia.
Habitat
Rainforest
Diet
Herbivore
Food
Mostly fallen fruit, with occasional animal foods.

Classification

Common name
Cassowary
Browse group
Birds
Scientific name or taxon
Casuarius
Source classification
Aves

Three things to know

  • The male incubates the eggs and guards the chicks.
  • Chicks have striped plumage.
  • Adults have a prominent casque on the head.

Habitat and range

Southern cassowaries inhabit lowland rainforest in New Guinea and northeastern Australia. They also enter some neighbouring wooded and swampy habitats.

Appearance and adaptations

Black, coarse-looking feathers cover the body. A bare blue-and-red neck, two hanging wattles and a raised casque distinguish adults. Powerful legs replace flight as their main means of movement.

Diet and behaviour

Fallen fruit is the staple food, supplemented by insects, small vertebrates and fungi. Birds are usually solitary. After mating, the male incubates the eggs on a ground nest and accompanies the chicks as they learn to find food.

Sources

Explore birds

Browse all birds