Cassowaries

A few years ago, I was wandering through the Greensboro Science Center when I looked over and saw what appeared to be a dinosaur.
My immediate reaction was: "I thought those were extinct." Turns out it was a cassowary.
Up until that moment, I had no idea cassowaries existed. The second I saw one, I knew I had found another creature to add to my collection.

Because seriously. How did nobody tell me about these? Dark black feathers. Electric-blue skin. Crimson-red wattles.
And a big thing sitting on top of their head called a casque. The best part? Scientists still aren't completely sure what it's for. Some think it helps them move through dense rainforest. Others think it may help them sense low-frequency sounds called infrasound.

Then there are the feet. Not bird feet. Dinosaur feet. Cassowaries are generally shy and prefer to avoid people, but if threatened, those feet come equipped with a dagger-like claw capable of doing some serious damage. Which honestly feels fair. If I looked that cool, I'd have boundaries too.

And yet, for all the danger, that's not what fascinates me. It's the fact that they feel impossible. Like dinosaurs aren’t extinct, they just grew feathers and decided bright green eggs was a must. Which is fitting, because cassowaries are among the closest living relatives to dinosaurs alive today.

I don't see a bird when I look at a cassowary. I see a raptor in drag.