World’s Most Dangerous Bird Pays Surprise Visit to Local Carpenter Shop in Australia

Cassowaries’ legs can deliver powerful kicks and their claws grow as long as 10 centimeters (4 in) – so the check-in wasn’t without danger.

Tony Fleming, a local carpenter in the small town of Julatten in Queensland, Australia, was in for a surprise when a massive cassowary entered his shop. The bird, which is known for its large size and powerful legs, is native to the rainforests of northeastern Australia and is considered one of the most dangerous birds in the world.

Fleming was busy constructing wooden furnishings when the unexpected event occurred, yet he handled it with a remarkably calm demeanor.

“Over a period of a year or so the Cassowary would wander around my property, chewing up plums and whatever it feeds on,” Tony told the Daily Mail.

“Then one day it just meandered into my shed.”

Fleming acknowledged that he was initially frightened, which is understandable given that cassowaries can reach up to 1.8 meters (5.9 ft) in height and weigh as much as 70 kilograms (154 lb). However, he soon realized that the bird was simply exploring his workshop.

“I had friends down the road who had never seen the Cassowary,” he said.

“One of them was a photographer so they came around and took a photo.”

The cassowary was a familiar sight to the local residents, having visited the nearby pub on several occasions. It had also been seen at the nearby campsite, according to Fleming.

“My wife was having her 50th birthday celebration and there were a heap of campers on our property,” Fleming explained.

“We woke up in the morning and found it wandering around the campsite and everyone was feeding it like a pet.”

The cassowary has actually become so popular among the locals that they nicknamed it ‘Romper Stomper’ – apparently a reference to a child’s toy that originated in Australia and involved plastic cups that you strapped to the bottom of your shoes and made annoying clacking sounds.

That said, Fleming acknowledged that Romper Stomper does have a confrontational side and isn’t always amicable towards all members of the local community.

“A guy at the local pub had been attacked,” he said.

“He was wandering down the road and this thing came for him. He survived. He was all right.”

Find out more about how dangerous these birds can be from our earlier article about cassowaries.