Australian Cassowary

Casuarius casuarius

A Cassowary looking at you!
Photo ©Tom Naegele

Cassowaries are large flightless birds from Australia, standing 1.2 to 1.5 meters in height. They live mainly on fruit. Unlike the other ratites, to my knowledge Cassowaries are not ever farm-raised.

The Cassowary is black with a hornlike helmet. Its facial skin is pale blue, the neck darker blue and purple and the wattles crimson red. Females are larger than males and the skin of their necks and wattles is brighter.

Their voice is a gutteral cough and they frequently emit shrill whistles at night.

Cassowaries lay 3-5 large, granulated, pale green eggs in a nest on the ground, often at the base of a tree. The male incubates the eggs.

Cassowary Links:

Cassowary Husbandry

A Cassowary just sittin' around
Photo courtesy of Adrian lindcoln Wong

A Cassowary from behind
Photo ©Tom Naegele

More Cassowaries
Photos courtesy of Colt Handorf