Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0Greater rhea
Rhea americana · ñandu
The largest bird in the Americas: it can't fly, but it runs at great speed across grasslands and savannas.
What it is
A running bird with gray-brown plumage and powerful legs, the rhea (ñandú) lives in groups in open country, palm savannas and grasslands. Raising the young is the male's job: several females lay in the same nest, and he incubates the eggs and cares for the chicks. It's often seen on Chaco estancias (cattle ranches), sharing waterholes with the livestock.
Did you know…?
Because it resembles the African ostrich, European colonists also called it “avestruz” (ostrich).
Where
Open country in the Humid and Central Chaco (Tinfunqué, estancias in Presidente Hayes and Boquerón), the Cerrado of Concepción and the southern grasslands.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 2 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.