Lesser Rhea Facts

Name: Ñandu, Choique / Lesser Rhea, Darwin Rhea
Scientific Name: Pterocnemia pennata
Family: n/a
Order: n/a
Size: 95 – 100cm (41.3 – 43.5in)
Weight: n/a

Distribution:
In the Highlands of Tarapacá an Antofagasta and in the steppe areas of Aysen and Magallanes.

Residence:
Annual resident

Habitat:
Shrubby steppes with grasses.

Reproduction:
They nest in the middle of shrubs, the male makes the nest in which each female of his harem lays 2 to 3 eggs, at times totaling 10 to 40 eggs that he incubates.

Observation:
There is no sexual dimorphism. Usually they are seen in groups of 5 to 15 individuals. During the period of reproduction, it is possible for one male to watch over 30 to 40 chicks named “Charitas”, that are sometimes of different ages. It is not uncommon for a male Ñandu to adopt an orphan chick and care for it as his own.

From the South America Travel Blog:
• The 7 Endemic Species of Patagonia Animals Now on the Decline