New Kids On The Block

The other day I was sure that we had a new pair of cassowaries on the site. Today it was confirmed.

When we got out of the car, these two greeted us.

It's a small male, probably quite young as indicated by the short wattles and the bub is young too. It's still in the "squeaking" stage and depends on Dad for food. It is much smaller than the three young of the year from the usual pair that occupy this territory. And, by the way, this morning Mom and Dad were doing it right on our front doorstep as you will see in a future blog. (But you never have a camera when you need it.)

This pair were intent on picking up the palm seeds for a couple of species growing on our property. The seeds themselves did not seem to have much flesh on them but the birds ate all they could.

We felt that this male knew our place and perhaps was one of the young birds fathered by our resident male. What will happen when these new birds meet up with the residents can only be imagined. The resident male seems much larger than this one and the bub is completely dependent on him. The residents will attempt to drive this young male from the territory.

Recent logging on Black Mtn Road may have driven these birds from their regular haunts and they have ended up within the territory of the resident male and female.

Good luck little guy. And you will have to have eyes on the back of your head to survive in this world.