Species group · Birds

Cassowaries

WAnimals has 2 species of cassowary, all in the family Casuariidae.

2 species
1 family
3 countries
8 parks
Weight
17 kg – 76 kg
Length
99 cm – 1.7 m
Lifespan
19 – 40 years

Ranges calculated from the entries that record the figure, not from all 2.

All 2 species of cassowaries on WAnimals

Each one has its own full entry. This group does not replace them: it brings them together.

Conservation status

1 Endangered1 Near Threatened

1 especies in this group están en alguna categoría de riesgo real según la UICN.

See the global conservation status

Where they live

Recorded in 3 countries. The ones with the most species in the group:

Where to see them

Did you know…

  • It is regarded as the most dangerous bird in the world, with an inner claw up to 12 cm long.

    From Southern Cassowary

  • Unlike most birds, it is the male that incubates alone and raises the chicks.

    From Southern Cassowary

  • The polyandrous female mates with several males and lays in different nests.

    From Southern Cassowary

  • Its inner claw is a real weapon: a horny dagger more than ten centimetres long with which it can open up a predator in a single kick, and cassowaries are regarded as among the most dangerous birds in the world.

    From Dwarf Cassowary

  • It is probably the bird with the oldest documented relationship with humans outside classical domestication: there is archaeological evidence that its eggs were being collected and reared in New Guinea more than 18,000 years ago.

    From Dwarf Cassowary

  • The male does everything: he incubates for almost two months and then raises the chicks alone for nine months, while the female mates with other males.

    From Dwarf Cassowary

Ecosystems

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