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type Status Habitat

BIRD

STABLE

AUSTRALIA



Cassowaries live in tropical rainforests, melaleuca (paperbark) swamps, mangrove forests woodlands and can even be found foraging along beaches

Cassowaries prefer fallen fruit, but will eat small vertebrates, invertebrates, fungi, carrion and plants. Over 238 species of plants have been recorded in the southern cassowary diet.



























Notice that knob

That strange knob on top of a cassowary's head is called a casque (Kaa-sk), or helmet. The hard outside of the casque is made of keratin, like your fingernails. Inside, there is a spongy material. No one knows for certain why these birds have a casque, but there are guesses! Perhaps it shows a bird's age, or protects its head as it pushes through tangles of branches.

Watch the feet!

Although this bird can't flap away from danger, it can, and does run quickly. With its powerful legs, a cassowary can reach about 30 miles per hour! Each foot also has a dagger-like claw. When the bird feels threatened, one kick can injure a predator.

Listen up

Cassowaries make a few sounds to "talk" with one another. They hiss, whistle, and clap their bills. They also make a low rumbling sound that people very nearby can feel, but not hear. That doesn't happen often, though, because cassowaries are very shy in the wild and difficult to observe.