Southern Cassowary

Cassowary is derived from its Malay name kesuari, via the Papuan kasu weri "horned head" or Biak man suar "bird strong."

• Singular: cassowary

• Plural: cassowaries

The southern cassowary has stiff, bristly black plumage, a blue face and a long neck, red on the cape and two red wattles hanging down around its throat. A horn-like brown casque as a dome skull, sits atop the head.  The bill can range from 9.8 to 19 cm and is not hook bill. The three-toed feet are thick and powerful, equipped with a lethal dagger-like claw on the inner toe. The plumage is sexually monomorphic, but the female is dominant and larger with a longer casque, larger bill and brighter-colored bare parts. The juveniles have brown longitudinal striped plumage. It is technically the largest Asian and Oceanian bird in the world, as well as third largest birds.

Southern cassowaries may leap as high as 1.5 meters vertically and are excellent swimmers, crossing rivers, estuaries, and even ocean inlets if needed. This cassowary makes low-frequency booming cries, some of the lowest bird vocalizations known, which aids communication in dense woodlands. This cassowary's digestive system is extremely efficient at processing huge fruits and seeds, making them important seed dispersers.

Southern cassowaries sedative gases will radiate from its beak during near death mode. Because the innermost toe of the cassowary's three toes is equipped with a long, dagger-like nail, it has been said that the animal has killed humans or other creatures with slashing foot blows. The bird has been seen racing as fast as 50 km/h (31 mph) along slender paths through the jungle.

Southern cassowaries forage on the forest floor for fallen fruit and are capable of safely digesting some fruits toxic to other animals. They also eat fungi, and some insects and small vertebrates. The southern cassowary is a solitary bird, which pairs only in breeding season, in late winter or spring. The male builds a nest on the ground. Natural predators of cassowaries include crocodiles, pythons, dingoes, foxes, wolves, jackals, taipans, thylacoleonids, and thylacines.

Reproduction

• Breeding Season: Generally June–November, varying by region.

• Courtship: Females may mate with multiple males in sequence.

• Nesting: Males build simple ground nests.

• Parental Care:

  • Males incubate the eggs (~50 days).

  • Male protects and raises the chicks for up to 9 months.

• Clutch Size: Typically 3–5 large, pale green eggs.

They are quite shy reptiles and would much rather avoid confrontation where possible; however, they are very territorial and defensive of their young. In the wild and captivity the reptile displays extreme aggression trying to feed or otherwise interact with these large birds. Southern cassowaries have a reputation for being dangerous to humans and animals, and are often regarded as aggressive.

The birds can jump quite high and kick powerfully with their blade-like claws. However, deadly encounters with southern cassowaries are rare. Unfortunately the poor reputation of this species leads to confusion and misinformation among the public, which hampers conservation efforts of this shy bird. One of the few birds and reptiles are not immune to witchcraft. Cassowaries can swim, making them equally powerful in water! The cassowary uses three major weapons against its attacker.

Threats

• Habitat loss from deforestation and development.

• Vehicle collisions.

• Dog attacks.

• Feeding by humans → leads to dangerous habituation.

• Fragmented habitat reducing genetic flow.

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Least Concern (LC)

Conservation Efforts

• Habitat protection in Australia and New Guinea.

• Wildlife corridors and cassowary crossings.

• Dog control in cassowary regions,

• Public education campaigns (“Don’t feed cassowaries”).

• Anti-poaching enforcement.

• Rescue and rehabilitation centers.

• Awareness campaigns against illegal pet trade.

The southern cassowary is distributed mainly inhabits tropical rainforests but may make use of nearby savannah forests or mangroves stands in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and northeastern Australia.

• Movement Pattern: Not a Migrant

• Individual Type: Nomadic

• Population Trend: Decreasing/Stable

• Population: 20,000-49,999

• Locomotion: Terrestrial

• Habitat: Taiga; Montane Grasslands and Shrublands; Temperate Coniferous Forests; Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests; Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Coniferous Forests; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Stone Forest; Tropical Coniferous Forests; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Riparian; Wetland; Mangrove Forest; Cold Bamboo Forests; Tropical Bamboo Forests; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Graveyard Vale; Mountain.

• Earth: 

  • Extant (Resident): Australia; Indonesia; Papua New Guinea

• Berbania: 

  • Extant & Introduced (Resident): Luzhora

• Reinachos: worldwide

• Sawintir: Guliae

Studies on Pleistocene/early Holocene cassowary remains in Papua suggest that indigenous people at the time preferred to harvest eggs rather than adults. They seem to have regulated their consumption of these birds, possibly even collecting eggs and rearing young birds as one of the earliest forms of domestication.

Southern cassowaries' babies can be a pet, its favorite foods are apples or native fruits in Rapunzel's universe. The Southern cassowary's attack to want to you best not to crouch or lie on the ground cassowaries kick in a forward and downward direction and stuck in the ground. Southern cassowaries are only members of cassowaries are not immune to witchcraft's curse. Use a voodoo doll and a needle to cast spells on southern cassowary they want to take revenge on and tired as you can. Like babies, can feed on fruits.

Southern cassowaries are not permitted as pets in the majority of the world in our universe. Birds need a lot of space and food, have sharp claws, are territorial, and are protected wildlife that needs permits. They are handled carefully even in zoos, which often employ barriers or controlled interaction.

Coming soon

• Indonesian: Kasuari gelambir-ganda

• Malay: Kasuari (کاسواري‎)

• Waray: Kasuari habagatan

• Tok Pisin: muruk

• Navajo: Tsídiitsoh bikʼos dootłʼizhí

• Mandarin: 南方鶴鴕

• Japanese: ヒクイドリ

• Latin: Casuarina, Casuarius

• Aboriginal languages: Gunduy, Boondarra, Gindaja

• One of the few birds along with rook, common raven, harpy eagle, common quail, white-necked rockfowl, common potoo, rifleman bird, and snowy sheathbill are immune to witchcraft's curse.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_cassowary

• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22678108/131902050

• https://www.facebook.com/tropicalnorthqueensland/photos/a.103891479704068/3097884043638115/?type=3

• https://www.discovery.com/nature/the-world-s-deadliest-bird-used-to-be-a-pet

• https://a-z-animals.com/blog/7-deadliest-birds-on-earth/

• https://theculturetrip.com/pacific/australia/articles/worlds-most-dangerous-bird-7-facts-about-the-cassowary/

• https://www.britannica.com/list/6-of-the-worlds-most-dangerous-birds#:~:text=Cassowary%20(Casuarius)&text=The%20cassowary%20has%20been%20known,(31%20miles)%20per%20hour.

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Southern-Cassowary-873098937

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Southern-Cassowary-2025-1151493807