RHEAS 
Rheas, popularly known as American ostriches or nandus, roam over the 
pampas of South America in groups of from four to thirty. 
They resemble the ostrich superficially, but are distinguished from 
it by their smaller size, their better developed wings and the fact that they 
have three toes instead of two. The rhea’s head and neck are covered with 
feathers. 
Rheas live on grasses, seeds and berries. They rely for their safety 
chiefly upon their swift legs and keen sense of sight. When the rhea is pur¬ 
sued, it often escapes by squatting suddenly among the low gray bushes 
of the pampas, which blend perfectly with its own slate gray coloration. 
Somewhat more intelligent than the ostrich, rheas are capable of running 
in a straight line, but frequently fall victims to their insatiable curiosity. 
When cornered, they defend themselves with vigorous kicks. 
The Indians capture rheas by means of the bola, a long leather thong 
to the opposite ends of which small lead weights are attached. When the 
weights are skillfully thrown, the bird’s legs become entwined in the thong. 
Until the passage of protective legislation in Argentina, rheas were killed 
in great numbers for their skins, which were made up into native rugs, and 
their feathers, which became brooms. Today these once common birds are 
seldom seen. The enemies of the rhea include the puma and the wild dog. 
Each female rhea lays about a dozen creamy yellow eggs in an ex¬ 
cavation dug by her mate. As three or four females are attached to one 
male, who cares for their combined output, the nest often contains from 
thirty to sixty eggs. When the male has begun to sit, he will drive away 
females who wish to lay more eggs, thus forcing them to scatter their sup¬ 
plementary eggs at random over the pampas. On a hot day these eggs are 
highly explosive and superstition has it that they are a serious menace to 
the unwary traveler, but it must be said that there is no true evidence 
in support of this alarming belief. 
When not molested, rheas approach houses and become as friendly 
and tame as domestic animals. 
20 
