Southern cassowary
| Southern cassowary | |
|---|---|
 | |
| At the Rainforest Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary, Port Douglas, Australia | |
Conservation status | |
 Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Casuariiformes |
| Family: | Casuariidae |
| Genus: | Casuarius |
| Species: | C. casuarius |
Binomial name | |
Casuarius casuarius (Linnaeus, 1758) | |
 | |
| Native distribution of the southern cassowary | |
Synonyms | |
See text | |
The southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), also known as double-wattled cassowary, Australian cassowary or two-wattled cassowary,[2] is a large flightless black bird. It is one of the three living species of cassowary, alongside the dwarf cassowary and the northern cassowary. It is a ratite and therefore related to the emu, ostriches, rheas and kiwis.
Contents
1 Taxonomy
2 Description
3 Range and habitat
4 Behaviour
5 Conservation
6 Gallery
7 References
8 External links
Taxonomy
A female near Kuranda, Queensland, Australia
Presently, most authorities consider the southern cassowary monotypic, but several subspecies have been described.[3] It has proven very difficult to confirm the validity of these due to individual variations, age-related variations, the relatively few available specimens (and the bright skin of the head and neck – the basis upon which several subspecies have been described – fades in specimens), and that locals are known to have traded live cassowaries for hundreds, if not thousands of years, some of which are likely to have escaped/been deliberately introduced to regions away from their origin.[3]
Cassowaries are closely related to the kiwis, both families diverging from a common ancestor approximately 40 million years ago.[3]
The binomial name Casuarius casuarius is derived from its Malay name kesuari.[4] The southern cassowary was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 18th century work, Systema Naturae, as Struthio casuarius,[5] from a specimen from Seram, in 1758.[2] It is now the type species of the genus Casuarius.[2]
The southern cassowary has been described under a large number of scientific names, all of which are now considered taxonomic synonyms for the species.[6]
| Synonyms |
|---|
Struthio casuarius Linnaeus 1758 |
Casuarius casuarius altijugus Sclater 1878 |
Casuarius altijugus Sclater 1878 |
Casuarius casuarius aruensis Schlegel 1866 |
Casuarius aruensis Schlegel 1866 |
Casuarius australis Wall 1854 |
Casuarius casuarius beccarii Sclater 1875 |
Casuarius beccarii Sclater 1875 |
Casuarius bicarunculatus Sclater 1860 |
Casuarius casuarius bicarunculatus Sclater 1860 |
Casuarius bistriatus van Oort 1907 |
Casuarius casuarius bistriatus van Oort 1907 |
Casuarius casuarius casuarius Linnaeus 1758 |
Casuarius casuarius chimaera Rothschild 1904 |
Cassowara eximia Perry 1811 |
Casuarius casuarius grandis Rothschild 1937 |
Casuarius galeatus Bonnaterre 1790 |
Casuarius casuarius hamiltoni Mathews 1915 |
Casuarius casuarius intensus Rothschild 1898 |
Casuarius bicarunculatus intermedius Rothschild 1928 |
Casuarius casuarius intermedius Rothschild 1928 |
Casuarius casuarius johnsonii Müller 1866 |
Casuarius johnsonii Müller 1866 |
Casuarius casuarius lateralis Rothschild 1925 |
Casuarius casuarius salvadorii Oustalet 1878 |
Casuarius salvadorii Oustalet 1878 |
Casuarius casuarius sclaterii Salvadori 1878 |
Casuarius sclaterii Salvadori 1878 |
Casuarius casuarius tricarunculatus Beccari 1876 |
Casuarius bicarunculatus tricarunculatus Beccari 1876 |
Casuarius tricarunculatus Beccari 1876 |
Casuarius casuarius violicollis Rothschild 1899 |
Hippalectryo indicus Gloger 1842 |
Casuarius hagenbecki Rothschild 1904 |
Description
Detail of feet showing spearlike inner claw
The southern cassowary has stiff, bristly black plumage, a blue face and neck, red on the cape and two red wattles measuring around 17.8 cm (7.0 in) in length hanging down around its throat. A horn-like brown casque, measuring 13 to 16.9 cm (5.1 to 6.7 in) high, sits atop the head. The bill can range from 9.8 to 19 cm (3.9 to 7.5 in). The three-toed feet are thick and powerful, equipped with a lethal dagger-like claw up to 12 cm (4.7 in) on the inner toe. The plumage is sexually monomorphic, but the female is dominant and larger with a longer casque, larger bill and brighter-colored bare parts. The juveniles have brown longitudinal striped plumage. It is perhaps the largest member of the cassowary family and is tied as the second heaviest bird on earth, at a maximum size estimated at 85 kg (187 lb) and 190 cm (75 in) tall. Normally, this species ranges from 127 to 170 cm (50–67 in) in length.[2] The height is normally 1.5 to 1.8 m (4.9–5.9 ft); females average 58.5 kg (129 lb), while males average 29 to 34 kg (64–75 lb). The northern cassowary is about the same size on average and is perhaps very mildly less sexually dimorphic than the southern.[2][7] Most adult birds will weigh between 17 and 70 kg (37 and 154 lb).[8] It is technically the largest Asian bird (since the extinction of the Arabian ostrich, and previously the moa of New Zealand) and the largest Australian bird (though the emu may be slightly taller).
Range and habitat
The southern cassowary is distributed in Indonesia, New Guinea and northeastern Australia,.[9] It mainly inhabits tropical rainforests but may make use of nearby savannah forests or mangroves stands.[1] The species prefers elevations below 1,100 m (3,600 ft) in Australia,[2] and 500 m (1,600 ft) on New Guinea.[1]
| Location | Population | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Papua New Guinea | unknown | Declining |
| Seram | Unknown | Unknown |
| Aru Islands | Unknown | Unknown |
| Northeastern Australia | 1,500 to 2,500 | Declining |
| **Paluma Range | Unknown | Declining |
| **McIlwraith Range | 1000+ | Declining |
| **Jardine River National Park | Unknown | Unknown |
| Total | 2,500+ | Declining |
Behaviour
It forages on the forest floor for fallen fruit and is capable of safely digesting some fruits toxic to other animals. It also eats fungi, and some insects and small vertebrates. The southern cassowary is a solitary bird, which pairs only in breeding season, in late winter or spring. The male builds a nest on the ground,[2] a mattress of herbaceous plant material 5 to 10 centimetres (2–4 in) thick and up to 100 centimetres (39 in) wide. This is thick enough to let moisture drain away from the eggs. The male also incubates the eggs and raises the chicks alone. A clutch of three or four eggs are laid measuring 138 by 95 millimetres (5.4 in × 3.7 in). They have a granulated surface and are initially bright pea-green in colour although they fade with age.[2][10]
Cassowaries make a booming call during mating season and hissing and rumblings otherwise. Chicks will make frequent high-pitches whistles to call the male.[1]
The blade-like claws are capable of killing humans and dogs if the bird is provoked.[11][12]
Conservation
Although subject to ongoing habitat loss, limited range, and overhunting in some areas, the southern cassowary as of 2017 evaluated as Least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[1] The Australian population is listed as Endangered under Federal and Queensland State legislation.[13] Some threats are habitat loss (logging), feral animals eating their eggs, hunting, and roadkill.[1][2] Road building, feral animals and hunting are the worst of these threats. It has an occurrence range of 396,000 km2 (153,000 sq mi), and between 10,000 and 20,000 birds were estimated in a 2002 study, with between 1,500 and 2,500 in Australia.[1] Southern cassowaries have been bred in many zoos around the world, like at White Oak Conservation in Yulee, Florida, United States.[14]
Gallery
Upper body
Egg at Museum Wiesbaden
Chick at Artis Zoo, Netherlands
An older juvenile walking across a road in Australia
Adult male with two chicks at Artis Zoo
References
^ abcdefgh BirdLife International (2017). "Casuarius casuarius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 20 March 2018..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}
^ abcdefghi Davies, S.J.J.F. (2003). "Cassowaries". In Hutchins, Michael (ed.). Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia. 8 Birds I Tinamous and Ratites to Hoatzins (2nd ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Gale Group. pp. 75–79. ISBN 0-7876-5784-0.
^ abc Davies, S. J. J. F. (2002). Ratites and Tinamous. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-854996-2.
^ Gotch, A.F. (1995) [1979]. "Cassowaries". Latin Names Explained. A Guide to the Scientific Classifications of Reptiles, Birds & Mammals. New York, NY: Facts on File. pp. 178–179. ISBN 0-8160-3377-3.
^ Linnaeus, C (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii). p. 155. Archived from the original on 2015-03-19.S. pedibus tridactylís, vertice palearibusque nudis
^ Peron, Richard. "Taxonomy of the Genus Casuarius". Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-05-04.
^ "Southern Cassowary Species account". Animal Life Resource.
^ Burnie, D; Wilson, DE (2005). Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide to the World's Wildlife. DK Adult. ISBN 0789477645.
^ Clements, James (2007). The Clements Checklist of the Birds of the World (6th ed.). Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. ISBN 978-0-8014-4501-9.
^ Beruldsen, G (2003). Australian Birds: Their Nests and Eggs. Kenmore Hills, Qld: self. p. 156. ISBN 0-646-42798-9.
^ Christensen, Liana (2011). Deadly Beautiful: Vanishing Killers of the Animal Kingdom. Wollombi, NSW: Exisle Publishing. p. 272. ISBN 978-1-921497-22-3.
^ Kofron, Christopher P.; Chapman, Angela (2006). "Causes of mortality to the endangered Southern Cassowary Casuarius casuariusjohnsonii in Queensland, Australia". Pacific Conservation Biology. 12: 175–179.
^ Science, jurisdiction=Queensland; sector=government; corporateName=Department of Environment and. "Southern cassowary". ehp.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
^ "Double-Wattled Cassowary". Retrieved 21 June 2013.
External links
 | Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Casuarius casuarius (category) |
- ARKive - images and movies of the Southern Cassowary (Casuarius casuarius)
- BirdLife Species Factsheet
- Red Data Book
Southern Cassowary videos on the Internet Bird Collection
The Cassowary (text and images)- Significant impact guidelines for the endangered southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii) Wet Tropics population
