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Rheas are large, flightless birds with grey-brown plumage, long legs and long necks, similar to an ostrich. Large males of R. americana can reach 170 cm (67 in) tall at the head, 100 cm (39 in) at the back [11] and can weigh up to 40 kg (88 lb). [12] . The lesser rhea is smaller, with a height of 100 cm (39 in). [11] .
Rheas are tall, flightless birds from South America that belong to the ratite family. Learn about their description, behavior, reproduction, and human interaction, and see photos of these interesting creatures.
The greater rhea (Rhea americana) is a species of flightless bird native to eastern South America. Other names for the greater rhea include the grey, common, or American rhea; ema ; or ñandú (Guaraní and Spanish).
Rhea is a genus of two species of large, flightless birds related to ostriches and emus. Learn about their characteristics, distribution, behaviour, and reproduction from Britannica's article.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- They’re ratites. Ratites are a fascinating group of flightless running birds that include not only the largest extant birds but also the largest there has ever been.
- Greater rhea are the largest native bird to South America. These graceful giants can stand up to 5.9 feet (1.8 meters) tall and weigh up to 88 pounds (40 kilograms).
- Their name is derived from a greek goddess. The greater rhea gets its scientific name from ‘Rhea’, a Greek goddess and latinized word for America (in reference to their location).
- They have a lot of saliva. This might be something you’d take for granted but in birds, a wet tongue in birds is the exception rather than the rule. Birds do salivate, but usually more at the back of the mouth than the front, giving tongues a strange sort of leathery feel to them.
Rheas are the largest South American bird. They weigh between 33 and 66 pounds (15 and 30 kilograms) and stand 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 meters) tall. Males are typically larger than the females. Native Habitat.
Learn about the greater rhea, the largest bird in South America, related to ostriches and emus. Find out how it reproduces, behaves, and faces threats from hunting and farming.
