Southern Cassowary
The Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) also known as Double-wattled Cassowary, Australian Cassowary or Two-wattled Cassowary, is a large flightless black bird. It is a ratite and therefore related to the Emu, Ostrich, and the genus Rhea.
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| Southern Cassowary |
image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/briangratwicke/
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| Southern Cassowary |
image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajhaverkamp/
Description
It has hard and stiff plumage, a brown casque, blue face and neck, red nape and two red wattles hanging down its throat. The three-toed feet are thick and powerful, equipped with a lethal dagger-like claw up to 12 cm (4.7 in) on the inner toe.The plumage is sexually monomorphic, but the female is dominant and larger with a longer casque and brighter-colored bare parts. The juveniles have brown longitudinal striped plumage. It is the largest member of the cassowary family and is the second heaviest bird on earth, at a maximum size estimated at 85 kilograms (190 lb) and 190 centimetres (75 in). Normally this species ranges from 127 to 170 centimetres (50–67 in) in length. The height is 1.5 to 1.8 metres (4.9–5.9 ft) and females average 58 kilograms (130 lb) and males averaging 29 to 34 kilograms (64–75 lb). It is technically the largest Asian bird (since the extinction of the Arabian Ostrich, and previously the Moa of New Zealand) and the largest Australian bird (though the Emu may be slightly taller).
