Smiles Sensory & Family Farm

All of our Rheas are called Chris, not because they are driving home for Christmas or that they live on the road to hell!, but of course in honour of the great Chris Rea.

 The rhea is a South American flightless bird without a keel on the sternum bone. Rheas are distantly related to the two African ostriches and Australia's emu, with rheas placing just behind the emu in height and  overall size.  

Rheas are from South America only and are limited within the continent to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay. They are grassland birds.

 The main differences between a rhea, an emu, and an ostrich involve their geographic origins, size, and toe counts on each foot. Origin and Geography

• Ostrich: Native to the savannas and deserts of Africa.
• Emu: Native to the woodlands and grasslands of Australia.
• Rhea: Native to the grasslands and steppes of South America (often called the South American ostrich).

Size and Weight

• Rhea: The smallest of the three; stands about 4 to 5 feet tall and weighs 60 to 100 pounds.

Feet and Toes

• Rhea: Has three toes on each foot, as does the Emu,the Ostrich: Has two toes on each foot, an adaptation that helps it reach running speeds up to 43 mph..

Appearance and Neck

• Rhea: Features larger relative wings equipped with small claws, chunkier plumage, and a fully feathered neck and head.

A small population of rheas has emerged in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, northeastern Germany, after several couples escaped from an exotic meat farm near Lübeck in the late 1990s. Contrary to expectations, the large birds adapted well to conditions in the German countryside.

Feral greater rhea flock in Germany

The population grew steadily for several years. By autumn 2018, their numbers had significantly increased to about 600. By spring 2021, just 247 rheas  were counted; this development was attributed to both the hunting and the increased caution of the animals. Several had begun to avoid humans  more than previously and retreated into the woods. By early 2023, 91 rheas were counted in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania;  the population decline was attributed to both hunting as well as harsher weather of previous years. By this point, German authorities believed a  stable population of 50 adult birds would be optimal for the local  ecosystem and agriculture. Researchers concluded that the feral  population was subject to substantial fluctuations but remained healthy,  adaptable, and entrenched in the area.

In the United Kingdom

There also appears to be a small population of wild rheas in the United Kingdom. In March 2021, about 20 rheas were reportedly running free on a residential estate in Hertfordshire.  Local police could not identify any owner, so they assumed they were  wild birds. 

Rheas tend to be silent birds, except when they are chicks  or the male seeks a mate. During the breeding season, the male will  attempt to attract females by calling. This call is a loud booming  noise. While calling like this, they will lift the front of their body  and ruffle their plumage, all while keeping their neck stiff. They will  then extend and raise their wings and run short distances, alternating  with their wings. He may then single out a female and walk alongside or  in front of her with a lowered head and spread wings. If the female  notices him, he will wave his neck back and forth in a figure eight.  

Mostly, rheas are herbivorous and prefer broad-leafed  plants, but they also eat fruits, seeds, roots, and insects such as  grasshoppers, small reptiles, and rodents.