Birds
Darwin's Rhea
Rhea pennata · also called lesser rhea
Running fast across the cold, windswept grassland of Patagonia rather than flying, Darwin’s rhea is the smaller of South America’s two rhea species, named after the naturalist who documented it during his famous voyage aboard HMS Beagle.
Overview
Darwin’s rhea, Rhea pennata, is a Near Threatened bird native to grassland and mountain habitat across the Patagonian steppe and the high Andean puna of Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, and Peru. Its smaller size relative to the greater rhea, its adaptation to colder and higher terrain, and its historic link to Charles Darwin’s own scientific voyage make it one of the more historically and ecologically notable flightless birds found anywhere in South America.
A rhea built for the harsher half of the range
While the greater rhea claims the warmer grasslands further north, Darwin’s rhea has instead adapted to the cold winds of Patagonia and the thin air of the high Andean puna, carving out a niche its larger relative was never suited to occupy.
Status
Near Threatened, with the northern puna population particularly reduced compared with the more secure population found across the Patagonian steppe.
Darwin's Rhea: common questions
How does Darwin's rhea differ from the greater rhea?
This species is the smaller of the two rhea species, adapted to colder, more windswept habitat across the Patagonian steppe and high Andean puna rather than the warmer plains favoured by the greater rhea.
Who was Darwin's rhea named after?
This species is named after Charles Darwin, who documented the bird during his voyage on HMS Beagle through Patagonia in the nineteenth century.
Can Darwin's rhea fly?
No, this species is completely flightless, relying instead on strong legs to run at considerable speed and escape predators across open grassland.
Is Darwin's rhea equally common across its whole range?
No, this species has a northern population in the high Andean puna that is particularly reduced compared with the more secure population found across the Patagonian steppe further south.