The cassowary is one of the closest living relatives of dinosaurs, and it looks the part. With prehistoric legs and claws reaching five inches in length, cassowaries are imposing animals. But how dangerous are they? We will look at past attacks by cassowaries and decide if this bird lives up to its title of “most dangerous bird in the world!”
History of cassowary attacks

The most comprehensive study of cassowary attacks was published in Journal of Zoology Christopher Cofron in 2006.
Main conclusions:
- There were 221 attacks of cassowaries.
- 150 were against people
- 75% of cassowary attacks were the result of human feeding of birds.
- In 71% of cases, cassowaries were charged. They used their dangerous claws only 15% of the time.
- In 22% of cases, cassowaries defended themselves or defended themselves from eggs, the rest was the result of people actively trying to get close to the birds.
- 7 attacks of cassowaries (3%) led to serious injuries, a single attack was fatal (after this study was completed, another death from cassowaries occurred in Florida)
This is the last point to get so much attention. Snakes kill 81,000 to 138,000 people annually from their bites. Crocodiles kill 1,000 people every year. Even hippos kill 500 people a year!
But physical death at birth rare. In fact, the ostrich and cassowary are the only birds in the entire world known to cause physical death in humans! Given that bird attacks resulting in fatalities are so rare, let’s consider two cases where attacks by cassowaries have resulted in fatalities.
Deadly Cassowary Attacks: Australia and Florida

The first known cassowary attack leading to death occurred in 1926. Two Australian teenagers attacked the cassowary with clubs. After one of the teenagers fell to the ground, the cassowary struck him in the neck with its large claw, reaching 5 inches in length. The cut was large and hit the teenager’s jugular vein, and he could not survive the attack.
The second cassowary attack leading to death occurred in Florida in 2019. A 75-year-old man kept a cassowary on his farm. He fell near the fenced-in area where the cassowary lived, but within reach of the animal. As he lay on the ground, the cassowary hit him more than 12 times, cutting deep cuts on most of his upper body. The man was able to call 911, but did not survive the attack.
It is important to remember that cassowaries live in very remote areas. Most cassowary attacks in Australia have occurred around the city of Cairns, the largest city near cassowary populations. In New Guinea, they often live in dense forests away from human settlements. Indigenous people report a history of attacks by cassowaries, so their attacks on humans are likely underreported.
Given this, it is likely that the cassowary is the most dangerous bird in the world.
How to survive a cassowary attack
It’s important to remember two things about past cassowary attacks:
- In one case, two teenagers attacked a bird. On another occasion, an elderly man kept him as a pet. Both situations could be completely avoided.
- 75% of cassowary attacks are bird attacks, and most of them are the result of feeding them by humans. Leave the cassowaries alone and your chances of being attacked are low.
If you come across cassowaries, keep in mind that they are easily frightened and unpredictable. It is best to back down slowly. Also, you don’t want to be on the ground. Both death cassowaries occurred after humans fell to the ground and were exposed to large cassowary claws. Cassowaries prefer to just attack and push, which can hurt, but not fatally. If you find yourself on the ground, you will suddenly find yourself within the reach of their dagger claws.