Southern Cassowary have muscular legs and powerful feet that have given them the reputation of being one of the most dangerous birds in the world! They can kick out when threatened and use their dagger-like claws which can sometimes have a deadly result.
Cassowary comes from a Papuan word meaning ‘horned head’ and if you do catch a glimpse of this prehistoric looking bird, you will see they have a helmet-like feature on the top of their head called a casque. They run with their heads down and use the casque to help them charge through thick forests and vegetation.
Their large legs also enable them to run fast which is essential for the females as they need to be pretty speedy in order to chase the males for courtship. The females don’t hang around either – once they’ve laid their eggs they abandon the nest to go on the hunt for a new partner – leaving the male to raise their chicks!
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