Have you ever seen such a bird ?

[yb98]

http://bellik.free.fr/gallery/galleries/Animals/Thoiry_Zoo/Bird.jpg

[Gabrielle]

No! I haven't. What is this odd bird? Very intriguing picture, yb98. Where was this taken? I mean, where is that bird from?

[yb98]

I don't know. I took this pic in a zoo in France.

[dancinec]

Yep, San Diego Zoo, forgot what it is called however. A very nice capture.

[nitsch]

Boy that's an ugly bird! Great shot though. I believe it's a Cassowary.

[Elisabeth-Ann]

I think you are right nitsch - don't get too close I think they spit!:D

[amtphoto]

Thats a cool bird and colorful head. Reminds me of Quetzalcoatlus in the paleolitic era.

[Yojimbo]

Yup, that's a cassowary. They're mean as hell too.

[yb98]

I think you are right nitsch - don't get too close I think they spit!:D
No risks, I was using a 70-200 lens.
And there was a grid.
If you look again you will see it.

[NordieBoy]

Don't worry about the spit.

"A cassowary's three-toed feet have sharp claws; the dagger-like middle claw is 120 mm (5 inches) long. This claw is particularly dangerous since the Cassowary can use it to kill an enemy, disemboweling it with a single kick. They can run up to 50 km/h (32 mph) through the dense forest, pushing aside small trees and brush with their boney casques. They can jump up to 1.5 m (5 feet) and they are good swimmers.

The 2004 edition of the Guinness World Records lists the cassowary as the world's most dangerous bird. Normally cassowaries are very shy but when disturbed can lash out dangerously with their powerful legs."

[Tess320]

They are from Australia and have killed people too.

Nat

[Geostant]

Interesting indeed
never saw such a bird before

[Elisabeth-Ann]

Don't worry about the spit.

"A cassowary's three-toed feet have sharp claws; the dagger-like middle claw is 120 mm (5 inches) long. This claw is particularly dangerous since the Cassowary can use it to kill an enemy, disemboweling it with a single kick. They can run up to 50 km/h (32 mph) through the dense forest, pushing aside small trees and brush with their boney casques. They can jump up to 1.5 m (5 feet) and they are good swimmers.

The 2004 edition of the Guinness World Records lists the cassowary as the world's most dangerous bird. Normally cassowaries are very shy but when disturbed can lash out dangerously with their powerful legs."

I remember seeing something like this on a NG program once, and come to think of it, it's camels that spit! :D On the NG program they showed one getting a tad aggressive - scary!

[reewik]

The name of the bird is correct we have one here at our Zoo too.

[PAFC2004]

Yeah, it's a southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius johnsonii)

And yeah, they are mean.

[Wilt]

Just thought I'd contribute my Cassowary portrait taken in a wildlife park in Australia in April. The feet are like clubs. The fence between us was very beefy wire mesh that got in the way of the photo, but kept me from becoming the next Cassowary victim in the hospital.

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i63/wiltonw/IMG_1828_r1.jpg