Justification This species qualifies as Near Threatened as its population is believed to have declined at a rate approaching the threshold for classification as Vulnerable.

Family/Sub-family Rheidae

Species name author (Linnaeus, 1758)

Taxonomic source(s) SACC (2005 + updates), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Stotz et al. (1996)

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

unknown

decreasing

6,540,000 km²

No

Range & population Rhea americana has a large range in north-east and south-east Brazil, east Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay and north-east and east Argentina south to 40°S². It has declined markedly and the healthiest populations are now believed to be in parts of the Chaco region².

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It typically occurs in pampas, campo cerrado and open chaco woodland, normally in areas with some tall grassland and other vegetation, but also in open grassland and cultivated fields, at elevations up to 1,200 m ^1,2,4,5. For breeding, it prefers areas adjacent to rivers, lakes and marshes².

Threats Its status is obfuscated by the presence of feral birds³, but it has declined markedly partly owing to hunting for meat and the colossal export of skins. Over 50,000 skins were traded in 1980, most apparently originating in Paraguay, with Japan and USA leading consumers². In recent years, the large-scale conversion of central South American grasslands for agriculture and cattle-ranching⁶ has considerably reduced and fragmented its available habitat, particularly in the pampas and cerrado strongholds.

Conservation measures underway CITES Appendix II

Conservation measures proposed Monitor levels of illegal domestic and international trade. Effectively enforce restrictions on hunting and trade.

References 1. Canevari et al. (1991). 2. Folch (1992). 3. Lowen et al. (1996). 4. Parker et al. (1996). 5. Sick (1993). 6. da Silva (1995).

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), David Capper (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2010) Species factsheet: Rhea americana. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 30/7/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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