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Enormous flightless bird with dark glossy plumage and large, horn-like plate on colorful head with two red neck wattles.
Not listed
Indigenous: Australian Cassowary, Cassowary
At a glance
FamilyCassowaries and Emu
SizeSmall
RarityCommon
HabitatClosed forest, Grassland, Irrigated farmland, Open woodland, and Waterbodies
Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from July to November.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Phil Gregory
Range map
Range map
131visible hotspots
8758visible records
2states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Unlikely to be confused with other species. Hatchlings are brown and strongly striped. Juvenile and Immature birds are similar to adults but browner and with an absent or developing head-plate.
Behavior
Found in dense tropical rainforest, where it can be seen crossing roads, or along roadsides.
Gallery