Southern Cassowary

Casuarius casuarius

This flightless and imposing forest giant, with its vibrant blue head and dagger-like claws, roams the rainforests of northeastern Australia and New Guinea.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Southern Cassowary is a striking, flightless bird with a tall, helmet-like casque atop its head. Its body is covered in glossy black feathers, with a vibrant blue neck, face, and two red wattles hanging from its throat. The bird stands up to 2 meters tall.

Females are typically larger than males, with a taller casque. Both sexes have powerful legs with dagger-like claws and small vestigial wings. Juveniles have brown plumage, gradually developing adult colouration as they mature.

Size

Length

127cm to 170cm

Wingspan

150cm to 200cm

Weight

29kg to 58.5kg

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Black Blue

Secondary Colour

Red

Beak Colour

Grey

Leg Colour

Grey

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Southern Cassowary is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Southern Cassowary is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Southern Cassowary is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Southern Cassowary is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Southern Cassowary is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Southern Cassowary is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Southern Cassowary is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Southern Cassowary is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Southern Cassowary is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Southern Cassowary can be found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Southern Cassowary is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Southern Cassowary is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Southern Cassowaries are found in the tropical rainforests of northeastern Australia, particularly in Queensland's Wet Tropics region. They also inhabit parts of New Guinea and nearby islands. These birds prefer dense, humid forests with a diverse array of fruit-bearing trees.

While their range has contracted due to deforestation, they can occasionally be spotted in more open woodlands or even beaches adjacent to their rainforest habitats, especially when searching for food.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 1,400 meters

Climate zones

Tropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Southern Cassowary. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons