The southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) is the world’s third largest bird. Southern cassowaries can be found in Northern Australia, New Guinea and surrounding islands. Southern cassowaries inhabit the rainforest. They are suited to live in the dense foliage of the rainforest and the low, swampy areas of northern Australia and the island of New Guinea. The breeding season of southern cassowaries lasts between June and November. Females are dominant to males, and may mate with more than one male during a season. Females will then lay their eggs in a nest or scrape built on the ground. After a female lays her eggs, she leaves to mate with other males. The male remains with the nest to incubate the eggs until they hatch. The diet of southern cassowaries consists mostly of fruit. Cassowaries are very important to the rainforest because they spread the seeds of large fruit after eating the fruit.
