Southern Cassowary Species of Bird:

Native to Australia, Indonesia, and New Guinea, the Southern Cassowary is a flightless black bird. The binomial name of the bird is Casuarius casuarius and it is also called the Two-wattled Cassowary, the Double-wattled Cassowary, or the Australian Cassowary or.  The Southern Cassowary and is a close relation of the Emu, Ostrich, and Rhea.

The plumage of the Southern Cassowary tends to be rather hard and stiff and it has a blue face and neck. The nape of the neck is usually red with two wattles hanging down. It also has a brown casque. The Southern Cassowary’s feet have 3 toes which are thick and powerful. The feet also have a claw that grows on the inner toe and this claw can grow up to 12 cm in length. While the plumage remains the same for both male and female birds, it is important to note that the female Southern Cassowary is larger than the male and usually more dominant as well. Interestingly, young Southern Cassowaries have plain, dull brown plumage. The Southern Cassowary is the biggest of all the members of the cassowary family and it should also be noted that it is the second heaviest bird on the Earth. It is both the largest Asian and Australian bird. The largest a Southern Cassowary is estimated to be is 190 pounds, standing 75 inches tall. The normal weight and height for Southern Cassowary ranges from 50–65 inches, with the females weighing about 130 pounds and the males weighing between 64–75 pounds.

The Southern Cassowary is a forager and it usually feeds off fruit on the forest floor. They are also able to consume some fruits which have been known to be poisonous to other animals. The Southern Cassowary can also consume fungi, and some insects and some vertebrates. Usually, the Southern Cassowary is solitary and usually finds a mate only in the breeding season. The male begins by starting a nest on the ground. This nest is usually made up of a pile, almost like a mattress, of plant material approximately 3 inches deep and about 3 feet in width. The male also incubates the eggs and raises the chicks alone. The Southern Cassowary is currently on the Endangered list in Australia and it is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The greatest threats to this species include a loss of their habitat, their eggs being preyed upon by wild animals, and urban development.