Jet black, hair-like feathers. Vivid blue heads adorned with a spongy crest. Most strikingly, a pair of leathery looking feet, armed with a 12 centimeter talon.
This is the cassowary, one of the largest and also most dangerous birds in the world. Though it looks like it walked right out of prehistory, it roams the land Down Under. It’s got a killer reputation – quite literally, as cassowaries are among the few bird species that boasts human fatalities on their rosters.
But how dangerous is the cassowary, really? Here’s what to know about these birds.
(Credit: Honza123/Shutterstock)
Honza123/Shutterstock
There are three species of cassowaries: the Southern Cassowary, Dwarf Cassowary, and Northern Cassowary. Of the three species in the Casuariidae family, the southern cassowary is the largest and most well-known. The title of "the most dangerous bird in the world" is often given to the Southern Cassowary, known for its potentially ...
