Peapix

  • Bing Gallery
  • Extension
Peapix
Bing Gallery
Extension
  • Canada
    All
    Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil

Bing Gallery

Australia Canada China Germany France India Japan Spain United Kingdom United States Italy Brazil
  1. Home
  2. Bing Gallery
  3. Canada
  4. 2022
  5. June 19
  6. Southern cassowary father with chicks, Kuranda, Queensland, Australia
arrow_back_ios arrow_forward_ios Southern cassowary father with chicks, Kuranda, Queensland, Australia

June 19, 2022

Southern cassowary father with chicks, Kuranda, Queensland, Australia

© Martin Willis/Minden Picture

Angry bird, doting dad. Father’s Day

Happy Father’s Day! To celebrate, we’re venturing into a tropical forest in Queensland, Australia to visit one of nature’s most protective fathers, the southern cassowary, the largest of three species of this flightless bird. The cassowary, like this doting father and his chicks, has earned the title of the ‘world’s most dangerous bird’ because of its sharp, dagger-like claws and aggressive behaviour. Cassowaries are notorious for attacking and sometimes killing domestic animals and even humans. In the wild, adult birds are so belligerent that they have no natural predators. Their young, however, need some protection. That’s when dad steps in.

Once a mother cassowary lays eggs, she essentially abandons the family and moves on to start another. Cassowaries are solitary birds, so this abandonment of the chicks comes naturally. But dad understands his children need some assistance. He’ll sit on the eggs for upwards of 50 days, making sure to add or remove nesting material to keep their home at the perfect temperature. During this time, he’s so attuned to keeping the eggs safe, he often skips meals. Upon hatching, chicks can stay in the nest for nine months. Dad stays by their side the whole time, often taking them out to feed and to teach them the ways of the world.

Snakes, lizards, and eagles that try to capture a cassowary chick are often met by extremely aggressive kicks with those claws that can eviscerate the would-be attacker. Once his children come of age, papa cassowary chases them away and gets ready to do it all again with another brood. While there are no reports of his kids returning to deliver ‘World’s Greatest Dad’ mugs, the male cassowary’s dedication to fatherhood has earned our admiration.

outdoor bird grass animal colorful cassowary

Related Images

Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, British ColumbiaButchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia
British Columbia Parliament BuildingsBritish Columbia Parliament Buildings
Leopard mother grooming her cub, Jao Reserve, BotswanaLeopard mother grooming her cub, Jao Reserve, Botswana
Donkeys in a valley near Rhyolite, Nevada, United StatesDonkeys in a valley near Rhyolite, Nevada, United States
Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern IrelandDunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, ChileTorres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile
Striated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, BrazilStriated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, Brazil
Formal Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, FranceFormal Château de Villandry, Loire Valley, France

Today on Bing

Reticulated giraffe mother greeting calf, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya

Reticulated giraffe mother greeting calf, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya

Jun 19, 2024
Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England

Stonehenge, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England

Jun 19, 2023
People surfing at Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, Australia

People surfing at Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast, Australia

Jun 19, 2021
Midsummer light captured at a lake near the city of Örebro, Sweden

Midsummer light captured at a lake near the city of Örebro, Sweden

Jun 19, 2020
Aerial view of the cherry laurel maze in Glendurgan Garden, Cornwall, England

Aerial view of the cherry laurel maze in Glendurgan Garden, Cornwall, England

Jun 19, 2019

Related Tags

grass outdoor plant sky tree lush animal landscape garden flower park colorful surrounded arranged building stone grassy cloud water hillside
Share photo
Share
Pin
Tweet
Line
  • © 2025 Peapix.com
  • API
  • App
  • Privacy
The images are provided for wallpaper use only.