Cassowary Crossing

Welcome to Cassowary Crossing. As you enter, you will walk along a gravel path that leads to the cassowary. This exhibit is home to the Southern cassowary, a large, flightless bird. In front of the fence that separates you from the exhibit is a large glass panel that follows the walkway. There are tall trees inside the enclosure which, when in leaf, provide a nice canopy of shade over the exhibit. The enclosure is lined with tall wooden fences decorated with art. This art was inspired by Aboriginal people, the first to live in Australia. The cassowary is important to Australia’s culture. The enclosure in front of you only houses one cassowary at a time. There is another enclosure directly behind this one, which you might notice 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. Cassowaries are not known for being noisy birds, but when they do vocalize, you may hear a low purr-like sound, a deep rumbling 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 females growing larger than males. That’s about the same size as the average adult male. 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, 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 the head. A wattle is an area of skin that hangs from the neck. While the head is blue, the wattle is a bright red that stands out against the dark feathers on the body.

Another striking physical trait of Southern cassowaries is the casque on top of the head. The casque begins at their pointed beak and 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, push through vegetation or dig and uncover food in leaf litter.

Cassowaries are known as the “world’s most dangerous bird” 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 fallen fruit or vegetation. 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, cassowaries eat fallen fruit, vegetation and any small mammals or insects they can 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 needs. These birds are solitary and only interact with other adults during the mating season. When a cassowary lays eggs, the males incubate them and then care for the young until they are around ten months old.

Cassowaries live in the oceanic rainforests of Australia and New Guinea. Because they eat fruit, they scatter seeds through their dung, promoting plant growth in their environment. They are very important seed dispersers, as they are terrestrial and cover long distances during their lives. In the wild, cassowaries have a declining population due to habitat loss. They are protected birds because of their declining numbers 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.