Casuarius casuarius
Cassowaries live in the rainforests of northeast Australia and New Guinea. They feed on fruits and plants, but also on insects, small mammals, and birds. The female is larger than the male, and is the dominant one of the pair. The male incubates 3-6 eggs for about two months. The structure on the top of their head helps them fend off vegetation while moving in the rainforest. The word "cassowary" is of papuan origin, from "kasu" (horned) and "weri' (head).
The above picture was taken at the Chicago Brookfield zoo, in August 2004.
Genus Casuarius
Family Casuariidae
Order Struthioniformes
Class Aves
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Life on Earth
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