Now There Are Two

A couple of weeks ago Mr Cassowary showed up with only three of the four chicks he had this year. W(See below) We thought perhaps an accident or loose dogs had claimed the one chick. But now we are not so sure.

A few days ago we obsereved the male Cassowry chasing and biting one of the three chicks. There seemed to be nothing wrong with the chick. It was not injured or sick. He kept driving it away from the others. The startled chick stood off from the group hollering for help as chicks do when they are separated from their father.

So what is happening? The male Cassowary is said to be 50-60 years old by people who have seen him all this time. His casque is chipped from ploughing through the understorey  but he does not seem to be worse for wear. His gait is normal and his hearing acute. One of his big toenails is almost gone but otherwise he appears normal.

Could it be that he has "decided" that four chicks was just to too many? Or has he some pereception that the food in the habitat is just not so plentiful this year and that he had to reduce his family so the three could survive? Who knows? Do birds get senile?