A flightless South American bird with a long neck, long legs and gray-brown feathers.
Each foot has three toes. Its long wings help with balance and changes of direction while running.
Greater Rheas feed in South American grasslands. Though flightless, their long wings help balance and turn while running.
A male courts females and builds a ground nest. Several females lay there and the male incubates their eggs.
After hatching he walks with and protects the chicks, driving approaching animals away. Hunting and habitat loss affect the landscapes where this care takes place.
IUCN Red List (conservation institution account) · Near Threatened · Global
Hunting and habitat loss are pressures. Retaining feeding and breeding habitat in grassland, scrub and agricultural landscapes is relevant to conservation.