From Opus

Photo by Peter Bono
Location: Near Punta Arenas, Chile

Alternative name: Darwin's Rhea; includes Puna Rhea

Rhea pennata

[edit] Identification

90cm. Plumage greyish-brown flecked with white.

[edit] Distribution

Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile and north-western Argentina, and well separated from the above, in southern Chile and Argentina.

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies¹

• R. p. garleppi - Desert puna of se Peru, sw Bolivia and nw Argentina
• R. p. tarapacensis - Puna of n Chile (Arica to Atacama)
• R. p. pennata - Patagonian steppes of s Argentina and Magellanic Chile

The Lesser Rhea has been proposed split into two species: Puna Rhea (Rhea tarapacensis) with subspecies garleppi, and Darwin's Rhea (Rhea pennata).

[edit] Pterocnemia vs. Rhea

Some authorities (Howard & Moore, 2003) place Lesser Rhea (R. pennata) in the monotypic genus Pterocnemia. However, Sibley & Monroe (1996), Clements (2007) and SACC since July 2008 place pennata within Rhea and the Opus follows the majority.

[edit] Habitat

Grass and scrubland, in the north at high elevation, in the south in lowland and foothills.

[edit] Behaviour

The Rheas are flightless.

[edit] References

1. Clements, James F. 2007. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2007. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801445019

[edit] External Links