Nanda belongs to the same family of flightless birds, and its appearance is very similar to the African ostrich. Long since the Indians of South America, where these birds received their initial distribution, used their meat and eggs for food, and later people began to use their feathers and skin for making various decorations and products. In addition, they are periodically shot by the farm and land owners, as they eat grass for livestock and grain. All of these events had a detrimental effect on the Nanda population, which led to its significant reduction. However, at the moment people are trying to avoid a further decrease in the population and are breeding Nanda around the world.
Description and features of Nanda
Today there is two kinds of nandu: ordinary (or northern) and Darwin (small). Let us consider in more detail their appearance and features.
Ordinary
This look has such characteristic features of appearance:
- length of adult individuals reaches 127-140 cm, and weight - from 20 to 25 kg and more. Males usually predominate in size and weight over females;
- Nanda looks very similar to an African ostrich, but it is about 2 times smaller than its head and neck covered with feathers, which is its species difference;
- legs are long and massive, have only three fingers. The boar is not covered with feathers at all, which distinguishes this species from Darwin;
- even though the bird does not fly, its wings are long enough, they help it to keep balance while running;
- the plumage is soft, has a brownish-gray tint and can be of different intensity depending on the sex of the bird and its age. During the nesting period, the males appear dark "collar" at the base of the neck. Among these birds are albinos, which have white plumage and blue eyes.
Small (Darwin, long-billed)
Darwin Nanda has a gray or gray-brown plumage, and it is smaller than usual in size, which is not difficult to guess from the name. The weight of an adult individual is in the range from 15 to 25 kg. In addition, it differs from the big nanda white spots in the plumage of the back. In males, they are more noticeable than in females, and in small individuals they are not at all.
Did you know? During the breeding season, the males emit a deep and hollow cry "Nan-doo", which eventually became the name for these birds.
What is different from the usual ostrich
The outward resemblance of the Nanda with his African relative is obvious, however they have significant differences:
- size - Nanda is 2 times less than its intended relative;
- feathers cover the neck, but Africans do not have feathering in this place;
- have three fingers on the legs, and the African species has only two;
- the inhabitants of the American savannah have claws on their wings, and their African congeners lack them;
- speed - rheas reach a speed of 50 km / h, and African ostriches can accelerate to 95 km / h;
- like to spend time near water bodies and directly in the water, but their relatives prefer dry land.
Nanda and Ostriches
Learn more about ostriches: ostrich subspecies; beneficial properties of eggs; breeding ostriches at home (food, incubation).
Where dwells
Nanda is common in many countries in South America: Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Bolivia. Darwin Nanda can be found in the southern part of Peru. These birds love the open areas of savanna-like species, which include the Patagonian lowlands and the plateau of the Andes.
Northern Nandu prefers a lower terrain with a warm climate, but the Darwin view is not afraid of height, so they can live at an altitude of up to 4500 m, and can also be found in the extreme south of South America.
Did you know? A small population of these birds can be found in the north-east of Germany. And this is surprising, because Germany is very far from South America. But the answer is quite simple: the fact is that at the end of the 90s, several specimens of Nanda escaped with an ostrich farm in Lübeck and were able to adapt to local climate features. Since then, they live there safely, and at the moment their number exceeds 100 individuals per 150 sq. Km. km
Lifestyle and behavior
Nanda is awake during the day and only during strong heat they shift their activity to evening and night time. In the extramarital period, they live in groups of 5 to 30 individuals. There are certain rules in these groups, the most important among which is, perhaps, distance. If the bird comes close to the other, it starts pulling the neck and making a hissing sound, thus demanding it to move away. During the mating period, the existing groups are divided into several small ones, in which there is only one male and several females. 
Nanda have very good hearing and eyesight, and their long neck allows detecting the impending danger in time. It is for these qualities that other animals often join a group of birds and live side by side with them. When the nandu runs away from danger, he does not run straight, like regular ostriches, but in a zigzag. Those who pursue them usually do not expect such a sharp turn and, without having time to react, rush past. Such sharp turns of the bird make at the expense of their wings, which they use as steering and brakes.
Important! Hunting for rheas who live in the wild is prohibited, so if you want to try their meat, you should contact special farms where you can buy not only meat, but also eggs.
What nandu eats
Nanda refer to omnivorous animaltherefore, the list of food they eat is quite wide: they are plants, seeds, fruits, insects and small vertebrates. Some people claim that they are capable of killing a poisonous snake, but no one has yet proven this. These birds can do without sources of drinking water for a long time, as they have enough moisture from the food they eat. Nandu is periodically swallowed by gastroliths in order to improve the digestion of food in the stomach. 
Breeding
Females reach sexual maturity at 2.5-3 years, and males at 3.5-4. The mating period, during which the existing groups are divided into smaller ones, lasts approximately from September to December. To form their own group of females, the males arrange the real battles. The winner of the battle expels the remaining males from the herd and performs a victory dance, shouting "Nan-doo." 
After mating, it is the male who is looking for a suitable place for the nest, and then he himself settles it. All females lay eggs in the prepared nest, but if any female laid an egg outside the nest, the male moves it to the common clutch. After laying eggs, females begin to look for another male, and this male remains to hatch eggs for 40 days, protecting them from external influences and predators. 
In clutch, there are usually about 20-25 eggs, but sometimes more. In such cases, it is impossible to incubate all the eggs, and out of some embryos do not develop at all. Then the chicks hatch, and male is still responsible for their safety and development.. During the danger of chicks hiding under the wings of a male or climbs on his back. When the chicks reach six months of age, they can already take care of themselves, and then the male returns to the group of his relatives or lives to the end of his days alone (usually older males do this).
Important! If you want to visit a zoo or a safari park, where there is a rape, be very careful and do not come close to the aviaries, especially during their mating season, because at this time they are very aggressive.
Video: bird nandu
Such are the history and way of life of such unusual birds for us. If you have the opportunity to visit any reserve or zoo to see these beautiful animals live, be sure to do it.
