Rhea (bird)
| Rhea | |
|---|---|
| |
| Lesser, or Darwin's rhea Rhea pennata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom Information | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum Information | |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class Information | |
| Class | Aves |
| Order Information | |
| Superorder | Paleognathae |
| Order | Rheiformes |
| Family Information | |
| Family | Rheidae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Rhea |
| Species Information | |
| Species | R. americana R. pennata |
| Population statistics | |
The rhea is a large flightless bird of the family Rheidae, and found on the grasslands of South America.
Description
Rheas resemble the ostriches of Africa so much that they were sometimes called the “South American ostrich” in older literature. However, there are some noticeable differences. Rheas are half as large, less than 4.5 feet tall, and weigh between 44 pounds to 110 pounds depending on the subspecies. They are gray in color, with the wings bearing the largest feathers in relation to body size of all ratite birds; these are used as a counterbalance when running, reaching speeds of up to 37 miles per hour.
The call of a rhea is less that of a bird and more that of a deep, sonorous call through a heavy pipe, alternately sounding like "nan-yu" or "nan-du" [1]. This call in turn may have inspired the name "nandu" from the language of the Guaran, an ethnic group in Paraguay and northern Argentina.
Species
- Greater rhea, Rhea americana
- Lesser, or Darwin's rhea, Rhea pennata
- Puna rhea, Rhea tarapacensis
