Rhea

Rheas and babies at Lake Tobias Wildlife Park
Rheas are found in South America and are the world’s fourth largest bird. They are about five feet tall and weigh up to 75 pounds. Because they are so large, they cannot fly; however, they can run up to 40 miles per hour and use their large wings for sudden stops and turns. Rheas can be either light grey or white in color.

Male rheas will dig a nest in the ground where females will lay their eggs. Then the male will lay on these eggs for up to 40 days until they all hatch, and continue to raise the young by himself. What is interesting is that the young birds will make a whistling noise from inside the egg when they are ready to hatch. This is how they communicate to each other so they all hatch around the same day. The babies that are ready to hatch first will delay coming out of the egg until the others are ready. One rhea egg is the size of 12 chicken eggs.
Baby rhea at Lake Tobias Wildlife Park
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2024
 Lake Tobias Wildlife Park, Halifax, PA.
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