Rhea (bird)

Rhea

Greater rhea
Rhea americana
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Kingdom |  Animalia
Phylum Information
Phylum |  Chordata
Class Information
Class |  Aves
Order Information
Superorder |  Paleognathae
Order |  Rheiformes
Family Information
Family |  Rheidae
Genus Information
Genus |  Rhea
Species Information
Species |  R. americana
R. pennata
Population statistics

The rhea is a large flightless bird found on the pampas (plains) of South America. It is similar to the ostrich but is slightly smaller. The female rhea is a prolific egg-layer, and may lay up to sixty eggs in a year.

## Types of rhea[edit]

There are two species of rhea. The common (or greater) rhea is the better known of the two species, and is described above. The Darwin's rhea is much smaller, and lives in the Andes mountains above 12,000 feet. It is an endangered species.

## Rheas as food[edit]

A few rhea farms exist in the United States, and the meat is prized for its healthy qualities, as it is very lean.

## Sources[edit]

* information on rheas and rhea farming