The cassowary is usually considered to be the world’s most dangerous bird, at least where humans are concerned, although ostriches and emus can also be dangerous. Cassowaries are shy and they are usually hard to spot, at least in their natural rain forest habitats. They are not overly aggressive, and attacks are rare. But they can do a lot of damage if they are provoked or angered. Cassowary attacks have occasionally been deadly, including a recent one which occurred in 2019, at a private collection of caged birds in Florida.
Cassowaries are native to Northern Australia, New Guinea, and surrounding islands. The family Casuariidae includes three living cassowary species, all of the genus Casuarius:
Casuarius casuarius. The southern, or double-wattled cassowary, with a bright blue head, two red wattles, and black feathers, is the largest of the cassowaries. Their habitat is the lowland rainforest, and occasionally they are found in eucalyptus forests or forested swamps.
Casuarius unappendiculatus. The Northern Cassowary, also known as the single-wattled cassowary, inhabits the coastal swamps and lowland rainforests of northern New Guinea.
Casuarius bennetti. The dwarf cassowary is smaller than the other two species of cassowary, usually weighing around 50 pounds. Their habitat is at a higher altitude, and they are generally found in more steep mountainous terrain.
So great to learn… I’ve haven’t seen one - yet