rhea

(also called ‘American ostrich’, ‘nandu’)

{There are two species of rhea: 1. common or greater or American rhea, 2. lesser or Darwin’s Rhea. The greater rhea is larger and heavier, and the lesser, as the name suggests, is much smaller!}

a kind of bird – flightless – belongs to ratites — large greyish-brown feathers, relatively small head with a pointed beak, long neck with few feathers, dome-shaped body, relatively large wings (wings used for balancing while running, but not for flying) long strong legs with only three toes on each foot, no tail feathers; size: (greater/American rhea) 5 feet tall, and weight: 25-35 Kg. (lesser/Darwin’s rheas are much smaller than the ‘greater rhea’ – 3-4 feet tall); feeds on (eats) plant matter – leaves, seeds, roots, fruit, and insects, small animal, such as lizards, worms and carrion (= dead bodies of animals); lives for anywhere between 15-40 years; 2 species and several sub-species, native to South America, but now found in some other parts of the world

male ~~ cock

female ~~ hen

baby ~~ chick

group ~~ flock

voice (call) ~~ hiss; (?)

home ~~ nest (a scrape in the ground for laying eggs)

Special Features:

Rhea birds are named after the fertility goddess, Rhea, in ancient Greek mythology!

Female rheas are known to lay about 60 eggs per year! Soon after mating with several hens, the rhea cock builds a nest, a simple scrape in the ground lined with grass and leaves, in which several of the hens in his harem (= group of females) lay several eggs and leave the nest to go on mating with other cocks and laying eggs in their nests! The cocks then incubate the eggs and looks after the chicks teaching them the feeding techniques and guarding them from potential enemies, including other rhea hens! Though rheas cannot fly, they can run very fast – about 60 Km per hour, and can swim very well!  They use their strong long legs not only for running but also for kicking their enemies! In North America and Europe, rheas are kept and reared on farms for their meat, eggs, skin (used as leather) and feathers.  Rhea oil is used in cosmetics and soaps!

{Note: ‘Rhea’ is the name given to the second largest moon of the planet Saturn.  Some other flightless birds are: ostrich, emu, cassawory, kiwi, takahe, penguin, inaccessible island rail, flightless grebe, flightless cormorant, flightless duck, kakapo and flightless teal.}

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