Cassowary Crossing

Welcome to Cassowary Crossing. As you enter, you will walk along a gravel path that forms a half-circle between the fence in front of the exhibit and a brick wall behind you. This exhibit is home to the Southern cassowary, a large flightless bird. In front of the fence to separate you from the exhibit is a large glass panel that follows the walkway. There are tall trees inside the enclosure which, when bearing leaves, provide a nice canopy of shade from the sun over the exhibit. The enclosure is lined with tall wooden fences decorated with panels of Aboriginal art, showcasing the cassowary’s heritage to Australia. The enclosure in front of you only houses one cassowary at a time. There is another enclosure directly behind this one which can be viewed from the bridge.

You might hear rustling as this large bird walks around the enclosure. It has large, clawed feet that may make noise as it walks across the varied terrain of grass, dirt and leaves in the enclosure. Cassowaries are not known for being noisy birds, but when they do vocalize, you may hear a low purr-like sound, a deep rumbling sound or a series of clicks from their bill.

Cassowaries are large flightless birds native to Australia, New Guinea and Indonesia. These massive birds can grow up to six feet tall and weigh up to 160 pounds, with the females growing larger than the males. That’s about the same size as the average adult male human. They have thin black feathers covering their body from the base of the neck to the tail. Their feathers are very light and almost resemble hair rather than feathers. They are not structured as flight feathers like most birds, but are thin and coarse. This is believed to protect them from sharp leaves or thorns in the dense rainforest.

Their heads and necks are bald and featherless, exhibiting striking blue skin. Cassowaries, similar to turkeys, have wattles on their neck under their head. A wattle is an area of skin that hangs from the neck. While their head is blue, the wattle is a bright red that stands out against the dark feathers on their body.

The other striking physical trait that southern cassowaries exhibit is the casque on top of their head. The casque, beginning at their pointed beak, rises up to the top of the head. It is a dark keratin-covered knob and its purpose is unknown. Some theorize that it could be used to project sound, to push through vegetation or to dig and uncover food in leaf litter.

Cassowaries are known as the “world’s most dangerous bird.” This is thanks to their powerful legs and feet. Their legs are strong and their feet each have three toes with large sharp claws. The inner toe on each foot has a claw that can be up to five inches long. That’s about as long as a full-sized chocolate bar. They use their claws to dig in the dirt for any fallen fruit or vegetation that they will eat. They are considered dangerous because if they feel threatened, they will jump and kick using their large inner claw to defend themselves.

In the wild they will eat fallen fruit and vegetation and any small mammals or insects they are able to catch. Here at the Zoo they get a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables, mice and insects as well as nutritional pellets suited to their diet. These birds are solitary and only interact with other adults during the mating season. When a cassowary is going to have eggs, the males will incubate the eggs and then care for the young until they are around 10 months old.

Cassowaries live in the oceanic rainforests in Australia and New Guinea. Because they eat fruits, they scatter seeds through their dung which promotes plant growth in their environment. They are very important seed-dispersers, as they are terrestrial and cover long distances through their lives. In the wild they have a declining population due to habitat loss. They are protected birds due to their declining population and their significance to New Guinea and Aboriginal cultures.

Thank you for visiting our cassowaries and learning more about the Cassowary Crossing exhibit. We hope you enjoy the rest of your day at the Toledo Zoo.