Southern Cassowary
Casuarius casuarius
The Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is a rare emu and cassowari found in 3 countries, weighing about 44.0 kg. The southern cassowary, also known as double-wattled cassowary, Australian cassowary, or two-wattled cassowary, is a large, flightless, mostly black bird, found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and northeastern Australia.
About the Southern Cassowary
The southern cassowary, also known as double-wattled cassowary, Australian cassowary, or two-wattled cassowary, is a large, flightless, mostly black bird, found in Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and northeastern Australia. It is one of the three living species of cassowary, alongside the dwarf cassowary and the northern cassowary. It is a ratite and therefore related to the emu, ostrich, rhea and kiwi. Southern cassowaries are among the largest birds in the world, only weighing less than ostriches.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The adult southern cassowary has stiff, bristly black plumage, a blue face and a long neck, red on the cape and two red wattles measuring up to 18 cm (7.1 in) in length hanging down around its throat. A horn-like brown casque, measuring 13 to 20 cm (5.1 to 7.9 in) high, sits atop the head. The bill can range from 9.8 to 19 cm (3.9 to 7.5 in). The plumage is sexually monomorphic, but the female is dominant and larger with a longer casque, larger bill and brighter-coloured bare parts.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Southern Cassowary can be seen all year round, with peak activity in October. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Southern Cassowary?
- The adult southern cassowary has stiff, bristly black plumage, a blue face and a long neck, red on the cape and two red wattles measuring up to 18 cm (7.1 in) in length hanging down around its throat. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Southern Cassowary?
- The Southern Cassowary is a huge sized bird weighing about 44.0 kg.
- Where can you see a Southern Cassowary?
- The Southern Cassowary occurs in 3 countries, including Australia, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
- What birds look similar to a Southern Cassowary?
- The Southern Cassowary is most easily confused with the Northern Cassowary and the Dwarf Cassowary.
- Is the Southern Cassowary endangered?
- The Southern Cassowary is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Southern Cassowary for real
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