This is bird note.

You might think the first bird species that humans raised in captivity would be a relatively small one, like a chicken.

But evidence suggests that people in New Guinea reared the cassowary, often called the world's deadliest bird, as much as 18,000 years ago, long before the domestication

of chickens. The remains of cassowary eggs and bones at archaeological sites in New Guinea indicate

that people gathered the eggs, possibly allowing the more mature eggs to hatch into chicks.

All cassowaries possess fearsome, sharp toes that have

been known to kill or seriously injure humans. While northern and southern cassowaries can reach

heights of five feet or more, the dwarf cassowary stands just three and a half feet tall.

Researchers suspect that by collecting nearly hatched cassowary eggs, probably from the

dwarf cassowary, people could have easily reared their chicks. Today in New Guinea, captive

cassowary chicks become imprinted on their human carers, allowing people to raise them to adulthood.

Casawares may not be the cuddliest of birds, but people found a clever way to live

beside them long ago. For Bird Note, I'm Ariana Rimmel.

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