The Cassowary

The Cassowary are ratites, very large and flightless birds, in the genus casuaruis native to the tropical forests of New Guinea, nearby islands as well as the north - eastern Australia. There are three extant species recognized. The most common of these, the southern cassowary, is the third tallest and the second heaviest living bird, smaller only to the ostrich and emu.

 

These birds are bad tempered that can grow upto 6 feet tall. They are strong, swift and attacks with razor sharp claws. These creatures are aggressive as well as unpredictable. Especially if wounded or cornered. During the second world war, soldiers stationed in New Guinea was warned to stay away from these birds, but some of them became victims.

 

 

The evolutionary history of the cassowaries are not well known. A fossil species was reported from Australia, but for reasons of biogeography this assignment is not certain and it might belong to the Preehistoric Emuarius, which was a cassowary - like primitive emus. The females are brightly coloured as well as big. Adult southern cassowaries are 1.5 to 1.8 metres tall. Although some females may reach the length of 2 metres and weigh 58.5 kilograms. They have feathers that consist of a shaft and loose barbules. They do not have retrices ( tall feathers ) or a preen gland. Cassowaries have small wings with 5 to 6 large remeges.

 

 

A cassowary ' s three - toed feet have sharp claws. The second toe, the inner one in the medical position, sports a dagger - like claw. That is 125 milimetres long. This claw is particularly fearsome since cassowaries sometimes kick humans as well as animals with their enormously powerful large legs. Cassowaries are predominantly frugivorous creatures. Besides fruits, their diet consists of fungi, mice, rats, fish, birds, frogs, insects, snails, flowers and carrion. Fruits from at least twenty six plant families has been documented in the diet of these cassowaries. Fruits from the laurel, podocarp, palm and wild grape, night shade as well as myrtle families are most important items in the cassowary diet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Kaushalya De Silva

Photo source : Internet