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Dwarf Cassowary
Casuarius bennetti
Dwarf Cassowary (Casuarius bennetti) — Ratites & Tinamous of Australia & Oceania.
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The Dwarf Cassowary (Casuarius bennetti) is a member of the Casuariidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 35 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Casuariiformes
- Family Casuariidae Cassowaries, Emu
- Genus Casuarius
- Species bennetti
Where it lives
Yapen (Geelvink Bay is., northwestern New Guinea), New Guinea and New Britain (southeastern Bismarck Arch.)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 35 kg
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Casuariidae
- Order
- Casuariiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Dwarf Cassowary is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Dwarf Cassowary is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Dwarf Cassowary (Casuarius bennetti) is a member of the Casuariidae family, within the order Casuariiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Yapen (Geelvink Bay is., nw New Guinea), New Guinea and New Britain (se Bismarck Arch.).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 35 kg, with a wing length of about 21.7 cm and a tail of around 31.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 396,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Dwarf Cassowary?
The Dwarf Cassowary is a very large bird that weighs around 35 kg.
Where does the Dwarf Cassowary live?
The Dwarf Cassowary is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Yapen (Geelvink Bay is., nw New Guinea), New Guinea and New Britain (se Bismarck Arch.), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Dwarf Cassowary belong to?
The Dwarf Cassowary (Casuarius bennetti) belongs to the Casuariidae family, in the order Casuariiformes.
What does the Dwarf Cassowary eat?
The Dwarf Cassowary is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Dwarf Cassowary migrate?
The Dwarf Cassowary is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Dwarf Cassowary endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Dwarf Cassowary's range?
The Dwarf Cassowary has a mapped global range of about 396,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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