Cassowary: The World’s Most Dangerous Bird
This large bird was described by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most dangerous bird in the world.
The Cassowary is a flightless bird that is the third largest bird in the world behind the ostrich and the emu. Cassowaries can grow to be well over 6 feet tall and weigh almost 150 lbs. Females grow larger than the males and once they lay eggs the females leave and the males hatch the eggs and care for the young.
They are native to northeastern Australia and to the tropical forests of New Guinea and nearby islands.
Cassowaries are listed as the world’s most dangerous bird in the 2007 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records. The Cassowary has three toes and the middle one is the longest and has a claw on the end of it which the Cassowary will use to defend itself.
Source (”You lookin’ at me?” Notice the large middle toe and menacing look)
On April 6, 1926, 16 year old Phillip McLean was trying to beat a Cassowary to death with a club when the bird charged McLean and knocked him to the ground and then kicked him with the toe claw in the neck. McLean ran off but died shortly after from blood loss as the claw tore an artery in his neck.
The above attack is the only documented human death from a Cassowary, however there have reportedly been a number of close calls in which humans have suffered broken ribs and legs and gashed flesh from run-ins with the large birds. There are at least 150 documented attacks by Cassowaries against humans. Most of the cases involved people feeding the birds.
The Cassowary diet is primarily made up of fruit but they will also eat flowers, fungi, snails, insects, frogs, birds, fish, rats, mice, and carrion. The Cassowary has a distinctive horn-like crest on its head called casque.
The Cassowary is considered endangered today in Queensland, Australia. Due to loss of habitat only about 20% of the original numbers still exist.
(And dented cars)
Since the Cassowary can be such an aggressive and hostile bird, some in Australia do not mind seeing less of them while others fight to protect this big bird.
(Smaller male with chick behind)
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11 Responses to “Cassowary: The World’s Most Dangerous Bird”
On April 16, 2009 at 11:53 am
OMG- this is one ugly bird. If I looked like that i would be aggressive to -lol
On April 16, 2009 at 2:16 pm
That is one big chicken. Having had a few spring run-ins with sitting hens, I’d be just as happy to steer clear of these birdies!
On April 16, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Interesting! Didn’t know there were that many attacks involving this bird.
On April 16, 2009 at 7:30 pm
That’s a big bird. I don’t believe I want to meet one.
On April 17, 2009 at 1:11 am
Interesting. I don’t know this bird is dangerous.
On April 17, 2009 at 8:49 am
nice article thanks for sharing, this the first time that I heard about this bird.
On April 17, 2009 at 9:34 am
I had heard of it but didn’t know much about it, great article again Joe.
On June 12, 2009 at 7:59 am
They are very nice and speciall birds, they just attack when people deserv it!
On July 26, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Funny story… I took a trip to the Philippines about 11 or so years ago and one of these birds escaped captivity while I was at the zoo there. We saw the bird in this wooden fenced area and we saw a zoo employee there with it, so we figured it was somekind of demonstration, so when the bird slowly walked over to the side we were on, my little brother and i, being stupid children, started petting it! Haha I just found out recently how dangerous they are, but it didnt seem like such a dangerous animal to me. I had to have been petting that thing for a good three minutes or so! I even touched the bone thingie on it’s head!
On July 26, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Funny story… I took a trip to the Philippines about 11 or so years ago and one of these birds escaped captivity while I was at the zoo there. We saw the bird in this wooden fenced area and we saw a zoo employee there with it, so we figured it was somekind of demonstration, so when the bird slowly walked over to the side we were on, my little brother and i, being stupid children, started petting it! Haha I just found out recently how dangerous they are, but it didnt seem like such a dangerous animal to me. I had to have been petting that thing for a good three minutes or so! I even touched the bone thingie on it\’s head!
On July 26, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Funny story… I took a trip to the Philippines about 11 or so years ago and one of these birds escaped captivity while I was at the zoo there. We saw the bird in this wooden fenced area and we saw a zoo employee there with it, so we figured it was somekind of demonstration, so when the bird slowly walked over to the side we were on, my little brother and i, being stupid children, started petting it! Haha I just found out recently how dangerous they are, but it didn’t seem like such a dangerous animal to me. I had to have been petting that thing for a good three minutes or so! I even touched the bone thing on it’s head!
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