Cassowary Facts
A cassowary is a large flightless bird of the genus Casuarius, a ratite from the tropical forests of New Guinea, nearby islands and northeastern Australia.
- Class
- Bird
- Scientific name
- Casuarius
About the cassowary
Cassowaries are ratites, flightless birds whose breastbone has no keel. They live in tropical forests in New Guinea, on Seram and the Aru Islands in the Moluccas, and in northeastern Australia. Three species survive. The southern cassowary, the most common, is the fourth-tallest living bird and the third-heaviest, beaten only by the two ostrich species and the emu.
The northern cassowary was the last of the three to be discovered and is the most threatened, and the dwarf cassowary rounds out the group. A fourth species, the pygmy cassowary, is extinct. Cassowaries are very wary of people, but a provoked bird can cause serious or even deadly injuries, and they have attacked both dogs and humans. Even so, recorded numbers show the common ostrich is more dangerous.
Did you know?
- In the Biak language, the cassowary's name man suar means bird strong.
- In Tok Pisin, the cassowary is called muruk.
- The common ostrich kills two to three people a year in South Africa.
Questions about the cassowary
Is the cassowary dangerous?
It avoids people but can cause serious, even fatal, injuries if provoked. It is often called the world's most dangerous bird, though records show the ostrich is deadlier.
Can cassowaries fly?
No. They are ratites, which lack a keel on the breastbone and cannot fly.
Sources
- Wikidata Q201231, checked October 8, 2026
- Wikipedia: Cassowary, checked October 8, 2026
Facts are compiled from these open sources and rewritten in our own words. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.