Stats

Lifespan: 40-50 yrs
Size: Huge
Diet: Omnivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Tropical rainforest
Range: Australia and New Guinea
Movement: Running
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Speed
Status: Uncommon

About

The world's third-tallest and second-heaviest living bird, the southern cassowary patrols the rainforests of northern Australia and New Guinea bearing a bony casque on its head and coarse black plumage. It can deliver a lethal kick with its dagger-like inner claw — the longest claw of any living bird.

Life cycle

1.
egg
A clutch of eggs is incubated in the nest, kept warm by a brooding parent until the chicks pip free.
2.
hatchling
A naked or downy hatchling is fed in the nest by its parents.
3.
juvenile
A feathered juvenile fledges from the nest and learns to fly and forage.
4.
adult
Fully grown with adult plumage.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Casuariiformes
Family: Casuariidae
Genus: Casuarius
Species: Casuarius casuarius