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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing cassowaries. You can join our adventure into the animal kingdom by subscribing! Like the emu’s we’ve previously discussed, these birds are some of the largest in the world, and they actually weigh more than emus! Female cassowaries are larger than males, though it’s the males who spend their time raising the kids. That’s like emus, too! Unlike emus, however, cassowaries have a tall crest atop their heads. The purpose of these crest is currently unknown, though some theories include the birds use it for creating deep, booming sounds as well as for protecting their head while running through the rainforest at upwards of 30 miles per hour (48kpm)! There are three species of cassowary and they all inhabit densely forested areas. The thick vegetation can make communication nigh impossible, so cassowaries have developed the ability to create the deepest sounds recorded in birds. The notes they can reach are so low, they’re almost outside of the audible range of humans. Communication is important to cassowaries because they’re relatively solitary birds, so ensuring others are staying out of their territory is a must - unless it’s mating season.

Cassowaries breed between the months of June and October. Like their emu cousins, cassowary females will mate will a male, lay her fertilized eggs, and then leave the dad to do all the child-rearing. A female cassowary may mate with up to four different males during the season if she’s healthy enough, and once she’s finished laying eggs she’s on her own again. Back at the nest, the male will incubate the three to five green colored eggs for about fifty days. The chicks will spend at least the next nine months with their father while he shows them all the best fruits around.

Cassowaries are frugivores meaning they almost entirely eat fruit; because of this, cassowaries are excellent seed dispersers throughout their home ranges. Depending on the species, a cassowary may be found in forested wetlands, rainforests, or even mountainous forest. They live in either Northern Australia, New Guinea, or the surrounding islands. In regards to the Australian population, it’s been said that there are fewer cassowaries there than there are pandas in China. Cassowary populations are threatened by habitat loss as well as predation by dogs and run-ins with humans. These run ins have caused cassowaries to gain the title as the world’s most dangerous bird, but there’s more to explore here. While it is true that cassowaries are some of the only birds known to have caused human deaths, these fatalities are few and far between and are almost entirely linked with humans aggressing the cassowaries first. Don’t get me wrong, the four inch (10cm) claws connected to the strong, dinosaur-like feet of a cassowary are not something to be trifled with, but it’s a shame that such a fascinating creature has been cast in such an extreme light.

Some other notable features of cassowaries is that they’re excellent swimmers, they can jump seven feet (2.1m) straight up in the air, and they have a color palette not unlike the mandrills we discussed a few episodes back. They’ve been recorded living decades in zoos, and hopefully cassowary conservation efforts will help to keep these amazing aves around for even longer!

For more facts on cassowaries, check out the links in the description. Give a thumbs up for awesome birds, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!