Rheidae is a species of an ostrich. They live only in South America, we know two kinds of this species: larger American and smaller Darwin’s Rhea.
These birds fit in species of runners, like ostrich, emu, cassowary, kiwi.
Rhea is smaller than emu and much smaller than an ostrich, since the ostrich grows up to 2,75 m and rhea only up to 1,5 m. Rhea has a long neck and long legs with three toes, in contrary to ostrich, which has only two toes. They are omnivores, mostly they eat greens, but also insects and carrion. They weigh up to 40 kilograms.
RHEA
DESCRIPTION – CHARACTERISTICS:
They gather in large groups from 10 to 100 subjects when they are not mating. During the mating season those groups fall apart. Male usually seduces two or more females. After mating, male makes a nest in which the female lays eggs. A nest is a simple small hole in the ground, which is surrounded with grass and leaves. SThe male makes sure that most of the infants stay alive with taking some eggs out of the nest,so the intruders do not try to come in the nest. He attacks everybody who looks dangerous to him.