Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this web-site were taken by Paul Smith, Hemme Batjes, Regis Nossent,
Alberto Esquivel, Arne Lesterhuis, José Luis Cartes, Rebecca Zarza and Hugo del Castillo and are used with their permission
GREATER RHEA Rhea americana NEAR THREATENED
The "South American Ostrich", the Rhea is unlikely to be mistaken for anything else! Males are polygamous, keeping a harem of females which all lay in a single nest. After laying they leave the male to raise the brood (which may number up to 20 chicks!) alone! Grassland inhabitants, Rheas have declined over their range as a result of habitat destruction. Gauchos hunt the birds with "boleadoras", three ball-like weights linked together with string which, when hurled at the legs of the birds bring them crashing down to earth with a bump. There is nothing a gaucho likes better than to chew on a Rhea leg!!
FIGURE 1 - Adult male dorsal view, PN Tinfunque, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Alberto Esquivel August 2003).
FIGURE 2 - Adult male, Laguna Blanca area, Departamento San Pedro (Paul Smith September 2006).
FIGURE 3 - Adult male head detail, PN Tinfunque, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Alberto Esquivel August 2003).
FIGURE 4 - Pair, male in background, female foreground, Cuenca Upper Yacaré Sur (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 5 - Adult female head detail, Asunción Zoo (Paul Smith April 2006).
FIGURE 6 - Captive male incubating, Itaipú Zoo, Departamento Alto Paraná (Fredy Ramírez December 2007).
FIGURE 7 - Semi-captive females, Cruce Los Pioneros, Departamento Presidente Hayes (Paul Smith October 2007).
FIGURE 8 - Flock taking refuge from midday heat, Laguna Capitán, Cuenca Upper Yacaré Sur (Paul Smith October 2007).
FIGURE 9 - Egg from museum PN Teniente Enciso  (Paul Smith July 2006).
FIGURE 10 - Print, Campo Maria Private Reserve, Cuenca Upper Yacaré Sur (Paul Smith July 2006).
VIDEO - Adult female running in front of vehicle, PN Defensores del Chaco (Paul Smith September 2006)
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