J. Delacour—Rheas



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With the exception of a few cocks during the breeding season, they are

completely harmless as well to people as to animals, other birds,

and even eggs. Rheas are very ornamental and look both amusing

and fine as they walk and graze ; they run very fast, often with spread

wings, in an extraordinary zigzaging way. They prove quite useful

in a pasture, as they destroy most of the weeds, particularly dandelion

and plantain, and they decidedly improve the ground. They can quite

safely be associated with sheep, cattle, or deer. Rheas’ feathers are

valuable ; their flesh is very good eating and their eggs about the

the size of twelve hen’s eggs, are also excellent. However, these fine

birds have one drawback ; they are rather messy and it is better not

to keep them on lawns and too near houses and well kept paths ; also,

in a garden they would eat leaves and flowers. But in a park or a

meadow they look their best and behave perfectly, never interfering

with domestic or wild animals.


Rheas are natives of South America, from Brazil to Peru, and

Patagonia, and are still numerous in the wild state in several parts.

Being much smaller than their nearest relatives, the ostriches, they

also look far better, having none of the ungainly pecularities of these

giant African birds ; their neck and thighs are well covered with short

feathers ; they have no tail, but their wings, although weakly built,

are large, their long soft feathers covering the whole of the body ; they

have three toes all set forwards.


In their native haunts, Rheas live in open plains, plateaux, or

valleys, and they graze like sheep. They are typical birds of the pampa.


When the breeding season comes near, cock Rheas roar in a curious

subdued and ventriloquial way, and they can be heard far away.

They puff out the feathers of their head and neck, spread those of

their wings, which they open and drop, strutting round the hens in

a beautiful display just as striking as that of an angry mute Swan.

Females are quite dumb and show only their feelings in coming towards

the males and keeping close to them, sometimes two or three at a time,

shaking nervously and their wings kept closely pressed to their backs.


Although it may occasionally prove beneficial, it is not necessary

to keep Rheas in pairs, and many of both sexes can live and breed

successfully together, half an acre to an acre of ground, according to



