What is the 3rd tallest and 2nd heaviest living bird species on the planet?

The Southern Cassowary is the 3rd tallest bird behind the Ostrich and the Emu. It is flightless and actually heavier than the Emu which is the 2nd tallest. They are native to the tropical forests of New Guinea (Papua New Guinea and Indonesia), nearby islands, and northeastern Australia. Other species of Cassowary exist including the Northern, Dwarf and Pygmy species.

Females of the species are larger and more brightly colored. Adult southern cassowaries are 1.5 to 1.8 m (4.9–5.9 ft) tall, although some females may reach 2m and weigh 58.5 kg. They are shy by nature and typically scatter into the deep forest before you realize they are even there but, if provoked, they can cause serious or even fatal injuries to other animals and people. They have a claw on each second finger that causes such injury.

They mainly feed on fruit but are truly omnivorous preying on small vertebrates and invertebrates. .