Raggiana Bird-of-paradise vs Southern Cassowary
Paradisaea raggiana compared with Casuarius casuarius
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Raggiana Bird-of-paradise | Southern Cassowary |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Paradisaea raggiana | Casuarius casuarius |
| Order | Passeriformes | Casuariiformes |
| Family | Paradisaeidae | Casuariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) | 155.0 cm (61.0 in) |
| Wingspan | 45.0 cm (17.7 in) | 60.2 cm (23.7 in) |
| Weight | 260.0 g (9.17 oz) | 58000.0 g (2045.89 oz) |
| Diet | Fruit, seeds, arthropods, and small vertebrates. Males display at communal lek sites to attract females. | Primarily fallen fruit from the rainforest floor, also fungi, invertebrates, and small vertebrates. A critical … |
| Clutch Size | 1-2 | 3-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Tropical rainforest and forest edge from lowlands to mid-montane elevations in New Guinea.
Southern Cassowary
Tropical rainforests, mangroves, and adjacent habitat in New Guinea and northeastern Australia.
Song & Call Comparison
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Males emit harsh, buzzy 'kraaak' calls and explosive wailing during display. Females give softer 'waak' contact calls. Display calls are loud and chaotic at leks.
Southern Cassowary
Produces very deep, booming rumbles and low-frequency calls below 20 Hz (infrasound), felt more than heard. Also gives loud bellowing grunts audible up to 1 km away.
Geographic Range & Migration
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Southern and eastern New Guinea. Endemic to Papua New Guinea.
Southern Cassowary
New Guinea, nearby islands, and northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Conservation Status
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Southern Cassowary
How to Tell Them Apart
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Males have a yellow crown, emerald-green throat, and spectacular cascading orange-red flank plumes. Females are brown with rufous underparts.
Stout, slightly curved, blue-grey bill
Southern Cassowary
Glossy black hair-like plumage. Brilliant blue and red bare skin on the head and neck. A large bony casque crowns the head. Vestigial wings with no flight feathers.
Long, laterally compressed, dark grey bill
About These Birds
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
The raggiana bird-of-paradise is the national bird of Papua New Guinea, featured on the national flag and coat of arms. Males gather at traditional display trees to perform elaborate courtship dances, hanging upside down and shaking their spectacular flank plumes. Alfred Russel Wallace first described the species in 1873.
Southern Cassowary
The southern cassowary is often called the most dangerous bird in the world due to its powerful legs and dagger-like inner claw that can reach 12 cm in length. Despite this reputation, cassowaries are vital rainforest keystone species, dispersing seeds of plants that no other animal can. The purpose of their distinctive casque remains debated.