What is the deadly bird? Birds often make a short list when it comes to the world’s terrifying animals. Most of the birds are very small and they do not have natural weapons like other renowned deadly wild animals. However, the latter isn’t true because size and strength are never the only weapons the killer birds must have.
The notable deadly birds have sharp beaks, powerful claws and toxins among other features that put them on the list of dangerous animals. The fact is that birds can really be hazardous or fatal and in this article, we are looking at the world’s deadly bird.
What is the deadly bird?
Cassowary/Southern cassowary is the only Casuariidae family member and it is without doubt the world’s most dangerous birds. The Southern cassowary is massive in size, flightless and exotic with ability to cause serious injury or kill a human being instantly given its deadly claws. In Florida, cassowaries are categorized as Class II animals considering the risk these birds pose.
A cassowary belongs to the order Casuariiformes also known as the emu. The cassowary bird features flat breastbones but unable to fly. Cassowary is a native bird to Australia, South-East Asia tropical forests and some parts of New Guinea. Cassowary bird kills humans with slashing blows of its feet. The innermost of cassowary’s 3 toes features a long dagger kind of nail.
Cassowaries have bristly feathers, a duo of red flaps of skin/wattle, vivid blue face and natural helmet/casque on its head. There are about 3 species of cassowaries and they are all different in sizes. The 3 Cassowaries species include The Southern, Northern & the Dwarf. They are curious birds, they attack any time though attacks on humans are a bit rare. Cassowaries can stand 6 feet, 6m tall and they weigh 132 pounds, approximately 60kms.
Cassowaries have muscular legs with 3 claw tipped toes which make them dangerous birds on earth. 2012 is the recent incident recorded where a tourist in Queensland, Australia was kicked by a cassowary. The deadly attack was experienced in 1926 when one of the teenaged boys who were hunting for the Cassowaries was unfortunately killed after a cassowary leapt on him when he was on the ground. Cassowaries are defensive birds and often use their sharp claws and powerful kick.
Other amazing facts about Cassowaries.
- Cassowaries are not emus, they only share scientific order.
- Cassowaries are Australia’s heaviest & the Southern Cassowary in particular is the world’s second heaviest bird after the Ostrich.
- The feathers of Cassowaries aren’t ideal for flight.
- Their head feature atop is known as a Casque.
- Wattles exist only with the Northern & Southern Cassowaries. The wattles are said to be used by the Cassowary birds to communicate about their present demeanor.
- Cassowaries are frugivores – they depend on fruits.
- They are shy and have the best hearing ability.
- Male Cassowaries care for the young-they engage in incubation and look after the laid eggs.
- They make different sounds.
- Cassowaries are part of the Red List of Threatened Species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Fewer than 1000 Cassowary birds still exist in the wild today.
