What is a southern cassowary?
The southern cassowary is a large flightless bird of the rainforests of far north Queensland. It has glossy black feathers, a bright blue neck and a tall helmet-like casque on its head.
Adult cassowaries can stand about 1.5 to 1.8 metres tall, and females, which are larger than males, can weigh over 60 kilograms. They are Australia's heaviest bird and the second-heaviest bird in the world after the ostrich.
The casque on the head is made of a spongy material covered in keratin. Scientists think it may help with releasing heat, amplifying sounds or showing maturity.
Gardeners of the rainforest
Cassowaries eat fallen fruit from hundreds of plant species, swallowing many fruits whole. The seeds pass through their gut and are spread across the forest, so cassowaries play a key role in rainforest health.
Like emus, male cassowaries incubate the eggs and raise the striped chicks.
Cassowaries can be dangerous if provoked, as their inner toe has a sharp claw up to about 12 centimetres long. People should never feed them.
Did You Know?
The southern cassowary is listed as endangered in Australia, mainly because of habitat loss, cars and dogs.