The cassowary is a large, flightless bird from the rainforests of New Guinea and northeastern Australia. It is an omnivore that eats fruits, leaves, seeds, insects, small reptiles, amphibians, and carrion. It forages alone, using its beak to peck at the ground and its powerful legs to kick over rocks and logs in search of food.
Cassowaries have high metabolisms and consume large amounts of food quickly. They play an important role in seed dispersal and rainforest ecology.