Editing Cassowary (section)

== Description ==
[[File:Darica Cossowary 00974.jpg|thumb|Close-up of the head of a southern cassowary]]
Typically, all cassowaries are shy birds that are found in the deep forest. They are adept at disappearing long before a human knows they are there. The southern cassowary of the far north [[Queensland]] [[rain forest]]s is not well studied, and the northern and dwarf cassowaries even less so. Females are larger and more brightly coloured than the males. Adult southern cassowaries are {{Height|m=1.5 to 1.8}} tall, although some females may reach {{Height|m=2}},<ref>{{cite web |title=The Cassowary Bird |publisher=Buzzle.com |access-date=2016-09-20 |url=http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/7-18-2006-102736.asp |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090315223855/http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/7-18-2006-102736.asp |archive-date=March 15, 2009 }}
</ref> and weigh {{cvt|58.5|kg|lb|-1}}.{{r|Davies2002}} However, it is not uncommon to see exceptionally large females topping the scales beyond {{cvt|70|kg|lb|-1}}, with the largest maximum recorded being a [[southern cassowary]] at {{convert|85|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and {{Height|cm=190}} tall. 

Hence, by technicality, all three species of cassowaries are considered as Asia's largest bird since the extinction of the [[Arabian ostrich]]. Moreover, not only is the cassowary Asia's largest bird, within [[New Guinea]], the cassowary is the island's second largest terrestrial animal after the introduction of [[Cervidae]]s such as the [[rusa deer]], [[chital]], and [[fallow deer]].<ref>{{cite book| title=Biogeography and ecology of New Guinea| last=Ziegler| first=A.C.| year=1982| publisher=Junk| location=The Hague}}</ref>

All cassowaries' feathers consist of a shaft and loose barbules. They do not have [[rectrices]] (tail feathers) or a [[Uropygial gland|preen gland]]. Cassowaries have small wings with five or six large [[remex|remiges]]. These are reduced to stiff, [[keratin]]ous quills, resembling porcupine quills, with no barbs.{{r|Davies2002}} The [[furcula]] and [[coracoid]] are degenerate, and their [[palatal]] bones and [[Sphenoid bone|sphenoid]] bones touch each other.<ref name=Davies2003>{{harvp|Davies|2003|pp=75-7}}</ref> These, along with their wedge-shaped body, are thought to be adaptations to ward off vines, thorns, and saw-edged leaves, allowing them to run quickly through the rainforest.<ref name=Gilliard1958_23>{{harvp|Gilliard|1958|loc=[https://archive.org/details/livingbirdsofwor00gill/page/23 p. 23]}}.</ref>

Unlike the majority of birds, cassowaries lack a tongue.<ref name=rainforestrescue>{{cite web|title=Biology & Physiology|url=https://www.rainforestrescue.org.au/save-the-cassowary/biology-physiology/|website=Rainforest Rescue}}</ref> Their beaks are pointed, sharp and robust but not serrated, which allows them to pick up fruit more easily than the short bills of an [[emu]] or an [[ostrich]].<ref name=rainforestrescue/><ref name=ala>{{cite web|title=This is one bird to be cass-o-wary of!|url=https://www.ala.org.au/blogs-news/this-is-one-bird-to-be-cass-o-wary-of/|website=Atlas of Living Australia|date=26 September 2023}}</ref>

Cassowaries have three-[[toe]]d feet with sharp [[claw]]s. The inner (first) toe has a [[dagger]]-like claw that may be {{cvt|125|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} long.{{r|Davies2002}} This claw is particularly fearsome, since cassowaries [[#Attacks|sometimes kick humans and other animals]] with their powerful legs. Cassowaries can run at up to {{cvt|50|km/h|mph|-1|abbr=on}} through the dense forest and can jump up to {{Height|m=1.5}}. They are good swimmers, crossing wide rivers and swimming in the sea.<ref name=HarmerandShipley1899>{{harvp|Harmer|Shipley|1899|loc=[https://archive.org/details/cambridgenatural09harm/page/35 p. 35–6]}}.</ref>

All three species have a keratinous, skin-covered [[Casque (anatomy)|casque]] on their heads that grows with age. The casque's shape and size, up to {{cvt|18|cm|in|0|abbr=on}}, is species-dependent. ''C. casuarius'' has the largest and ''C. bennetti'' the smallest (tricorn shape), with ''C. unappendiculatus'' having variations in between. Contrary to earlier findings, the hollow inside of the casque is spanned with fine fibres.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal | doi = 10.1080/08912963.2014.985669 |author1=Naish, D. |author2=Perron, R. |title=Structure and function of the cassowary's casque and its implications for cassowary history, biology and evolution|journal=Historical Biology |date=2016 |volume=28 |issue=4 |pages=507–518 |bibcode=2016HBio...28..507N |s2cid=84497795 }}</ref>
[[File:Southern cassowary feet.jpg|thumb|Feet of a southern cassowary: Cassowaries use their feet as weapons.]]
Several functions for the casque have been proposed. One is that they are a [[secondary sexual characteristic]]. Other suggested functions include batting through the underbrush, as a weapon in dominance disputes, or pushing aside leaf litter during foraging.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Crome, F. |author2=Moore, L | date = 1988 | title = The cassowary's casque | journal = Emu | volume = 88 | issue = 2 | pages = 123–124 | doi = 10.1071/MU9880123|bibcode=1988EmuAO..88..123C }}</ref> The latter three are disputed by biologist Andrew Mack, whose personal observation suggests that the casque amplifies deep sounds.{{sfnp|Mack|Jones|2003|}} This is related to a discovery that at least the dwarf cassowary and southern cassowary produce very low-frequency sounds, which may aid in communication in dense rainforests.{{sfnp|Mack|Jones|2003|}} The "boom" vocalization that cassowaries produce is the lowest-frequency bird call known and is at the lower limit of human hearing.{{sfnp|Owen|2003|}} Recent study suggests that casque acts as a thermal radiator, offloading heat at high temperatures and restricting heat loss at low temperatures.<ref>Eastick, Danielle L., et al. "Cassowary casques act as thermal windows." Scientific reports 9.1 (2019): 1966.</ref>

The average lifespan of wild cassowaries is approximately 18–20 years, with those held in captivity living up to 40 years.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-23 |title=Southern cassowary |url=https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/southern-cassowary |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=Smithsonian's National Zoo |language=en}}</ref>