Greater Rhea (Rhea americana)

Other Names (World)
Greater Rhea, Grey Rhea, Gray Rhea, Common Rhea, American Rhea

Family
Rheidae (Rheas)

Size
127 - 140 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Linnaeus, 1758)

Habitat
Pampas, campo cerrado and open chaco woodland, normally in areas with some tall grassland and other vegetation. Also open grassland and cultivated fields. From sea-level - 1,200 m. Prefers areas adjacent to water for breeding.

Range (Guide)

Argentina (B), Bolivia (B), Brazil (B), Paraguay (B), Uruguay (B).

South America from Brazil south of the Amazon to central Argentina.

Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010) and decreasing.

Status NT
Hunting and habitat destruction through conversion to agriculture are the main threats.

For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Voice
Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (4)...)

Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) [XC229054]
by Bernabe Lopez-Lanus from Chapada dos Guimaraes, Mato Grosso, Brazil (call)

Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) [XC45555]
by Rosendo Fraga from Estancia El Potrero, Gualeguaychu_Entre Rios, Argentina (booming)

Nest
A shallow hollow in the ground, sparsely lined with grass.

Eggs (Guide)
Up to 80 but about 27 is usual; greenish-yellow; 130 x 90 mm. Incubation: 29 - 43 days; by male.

Subspecies
The following 5 subspecies are recognised:

americana (Linnaeus, 1758) - Northern and eastern Brazil.
intermedia Rothschild & Chubb, C, 1914 - Uruguay and extreme south-eastern Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul province).
nobilis Brodkorb, 1939 - Eastern Paraguay, east of Rio Paraguay.
araneipes Brodkorb, 1938 - Paraguay and Bolivia and the Mato Grosso province of Brazil.
albescens Lynch & Holmberg, 1878 - Argentina south to the Rio Negro province.

References
See References.

Files:

JPG files for Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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