Australia’s most famous animals are without a doubt the kangaroos and other marsupials. However, there are heaps of unique birds living Down Under too. One of the most interesting is the southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius). Cassowaries are huge flightless birds native to the tropical forests of the Australo-Papuan region. The southern cassowary is an endangered species that lives in northeastern Australia and a few nearby islands. This ancient, dinosaur-like bird can be 5 feet (1.5 m) tall and weigh nearly 170 pounds (77 kg). Its beautiful blue head has a prominent casque that is made of keratin.
While all birds are descended from dinosaurs, the cassowary is more similar to that prehistoric group of animals than other birds. The casque atop the bird’s head is similar to the helmet-like structure of many dinosaurs. This casque amplifies the deep sound of the bird that carries through the dense foliage. It can also serve as a thermal radiator. Interestingly, females have larger casque than males. They are solitary birds and only form pairs during the breeding season. Males build the nest, also incubates the eggs and raise the chicks alone.
The southern cassowary is known as the world’s most dangerous bird. They can seriously injure or even kill a human with their huge claws, however, deadly encounters are very rare. Most attacks happen when people try to feed them, or the birds expecting food from them. Cassowaries normally forage on the forest floor or on the beach for fruits and seeds. They also eat insects, snails, frogs and even small birds and mammals. They need a diverse forest habitat where various plants supply enough food all year long.
When I planned our Australia road trip my objective was to see the most iconic Australian animals, so finding a cassowary was very high on my list. I found out that we probably have the best chance to see a cassowary in the wild at Etty Bay Beach (map). It is a spectacular beach surrounded by a beautiful rainforest. As we had hoped, only after an hour of scouting a stunning female cassowary showed up. I was very excited and even though the midday light was very harsh, I followed the big bird for at least an hour and took several photos as she was looking for food in the forest and also on the beach. I was able to observe her huge claws, but I never felt I was in danger. I didn’t have any food on me so the bird didn’t care much about me and I could even take some very close portrait shots too. It was one of the most memorable encounters we had in Australia.
To make our “dinosaur-exploration” complete, we found a huge lace monitor (Varanus varius) too. This giant lizard is also called the tree goanna. It can reach 6.5 feet (2 m) length, but this specimen was “only” about 5 feet (1.5 m) long. I captured all of the cassowary and varanus images by handholding my Canon EOS 5Ds camera, with my Canon 70-200mm f/4 lens + my Canon EX430 flash.
