The living dinosaur bird with a dagger on each foot
This bird is basically a living dinosaur — and it can open you up with one kick.
The short version
The cassowary is often called the world's most dangerous bird. It stands up to six feet tall, sprints at 30 mph, jumps nearly five feet, and has a dagger-like claw up to five inches long on each inner toe. A close living relative of the dinosaurs, it's powerful but shy.
Why it's so weird
- ✓The Cassowary has a dagger-shaped claw up to five inches long on each foot, and can slash with a single kick.
- ✓The Cassowary stands up to six feet tall and weighs over a hundred pounds, making it one of the tallest birds alive.
- ✓The Cassowary wears a strange bony helmet on top of its head.
- ✓The Cassowary is a close cousin of the dinosaurs, with scaly legs and clawed feet to match.
- ✓The Cassowary can sprint at thirty miles an hour and leap nearly five feet to drive home a kick.
The full story
This bird is basically a living dinosaur, and it can open you up with a single kick. Meet the cassowary, widely called the most dangerous bird on Earth. It stands up to six feet tall, weighs over a hundred pounds, and wears a strange bony helmet on top of its head. But the real weapon is on its feet. Each foot has a dagger-shaped claw up to five inches long, and the bird can sprint at thirty miles an hour and leap nearly five feet to drive it home. It is also a close cousin of the dinosaurs, with the scaly legs and clawed feet to match. Despite all of that, it is actually shy and mostly just wants to eat fallen fruit and be left alone. It can even swim across rivers and crash through dense jungle like a tank. A real dinosaur, hiding in the rainforest. Follow for more weird animal facts.
Watch the 45-second version
Cassowary gallery
