Darwin's/Lesser Rhea Rhea pennata (prev. Rhea darwinii/Pterocnemia pennata)

Darwin's Rhea
Lesser Rhea
Darwin's Rhea, also called the Lesser Rhea, is a little browner and smaller than its better-known Greater cousin.
Darwin's Rhea
Lesser Rhea
Darwin's Rhea
The nominal subspecies shown above is native to Patagonia (southern Argentina and Chile); 1-2 other subspecies is/are native to the Andean Plateau (north Chile/Bolivia).
Lesser Rhea
Darwin's Rhea
Darwin's Rhea chasing capybara Chasing Capybara
Like Greater Rheas, they are flightless but use their wings for fast change of direction when running at up to 60 km/h.
Lesser Rhea rear
Darwin's Rhea's rear
Darwin's Rhea rear
Rear of the Rhea: "Does my lesser rear look big in this?"
Darwin's Rhea with vicunas Vicuna friends
Lesser Rhea head
Darwin's Rhea
Like the Greater Rhea, the males incubate and raise the young of multiple mates.
Darwin's Rheas
Lesser Rheas
Lesser Rhea eggs
His nest is a scrape in the ground where females might lay up to 50 eggs for him to defend and incubate (typically far fewer); he will raise the young alone while the females will go off to mate and lay elsewhere. (Ironically the bird is named after the Greek Titan Rhea who was mother of the Olympian gods, possibly since it was thought the bird diligently caring for so many chicks was a female.)