There is ‘rhea pennata.’ The name ‘rhea’ comes from the Greek goddess, and the name ‘pennata’ means winged. They are also known as the ‘Lesser Rhea.’ Darwins Rhea are flightless birds that do not have a keel on their sternum bone They are the smaller of the two Rhea species, the other being the American Rhea.
In Argentina, they are known as Nando Petiso, or Nando del nortein where they are mostly distributed.
Darwins Rhea are found in the Altiplano and Patagonia in South America.
They measure between 90-100 cm (35-39 in) tall and 92-100 cm (36-39 in) in length. They weigh in at between 15 – 28.6 kg. Darwins Rhea has a small head and a small bill.
Their bill measures between 6.2 to 9.2 cm. They have long legs and neck with large wings. They can run very well and can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h (37 mph). This means that they can use this skill to outrun predators. They have feathers which are much like that of an ostrich.
Darwin’s Rhea has spotted brown and white plumage They get their name from a contemporary of Darwin called Alcide d’ Orbigny who was the first to first describe the creature to the Europeans. This was done from a specimen found in lower Rio Negro south of Buenos Aires, in Argentina.
Darwins Rhea is mainly herbivores but have been known to consume small insects and animals such as grasshoppers and lizards. As a species, they are quiet creatures except as chicks and when they calling out for a mate. When they are calling for a mate they will look to lift the front of their body and then they will ruffle their plumage whilst keeping their necks stiff. Next, they will raise their wings which will extend and they will start to run.
They will look for females and look to walk alongside them or in front of them lowering their heads and spreading their wings. Once the female notices, the male will weave his head back and forth in a figure 8 shape. The female may then offer herself for mating. The male will build the nest and will mate with various females who will lay their eggs outside of the nest. When they are laying their eggs, females tend to lay them outside the nest rather than in it. Then they are moved by the male into the nest at a later time. The male will incubate the eggs and look after the chicks. Eggs are incubated for between 30 – 44 days, and the clutch size is from 5 – 55 eggs. The eggs are between 87 – 126 mm and are greenish-yellow colour. Their chicks gain maturity by the age of three.
Darwin’s Rhea is social creatures and will live in groups of between 5 and 30 individuals.
They are hunted for their feathers, eggs, meat, eggs, and their habitat is at danger from agricultural development.