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. The nominal subspecies shown is native to Patagonia (southern Argentina and Chile); 1-2 other subspecies is/are native to the Andean Plateau (north Chile/Bolivia).
Darwin's Rhea
Lesser Rhea
Darwin's Rhea
Like the Greater Rhea, the males incubate and raise the young of multiple mates.
Lesser Rhea head
Darwin's Rheas
Like Greater Rheas, they are flightless but use their wings for fast change of direction when running at up to 60 km/h
Rear of Darwin's Rhea Rear of the Rhea
Darwin's Rheas
Darwin's Rhea
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.)