Human interaction: previously pursued for their feathers; nowadays farmed for meat. In the wild they will attack if threatened (treacherous kick); passive in captive environments. If raised, they may display their courtship performance towards their keeper. Interesting facts: world s largest flightless bird. They can reach speeds of over 70km/h running on land, taking strides of up to 5m. Ostriches are said to have the largest eyes of all land vertebrates (50mm in diameter). Their eggs are the largest out of all birds. An ostrich has the largest tarsus out of any living bird. Common Ostrich Struthio camelus. Ostriches are native to Africa. Male ostriches have typically black plumage and a white feathered tail (females and young ones are mainly greyish-brown). PAGE 17
RHEA Superorder: Paleognathae Order: Rheiformes Families: 1 Species: 2 (Rhea Americana - Greater Rhea; Darwin s Rhea or Lesser Rhea; Pterocnemia pennata or Rhea pennata) Distribution and habitat: South America and Andean foothills; grasslands and ranch lands; steppes, deserts and punas. Anatomy: ratites e.g. flightless, nonmigratory birds. Rheas have 3 toes, a flat breastbone with no keel and feathers with long after shafts. They have short dense grey-brown feathers on the neck and large long, loose feathers on their wings, along with a claw on each for protection against predators. Depending on the species, an adult may be as tall as 1-1.5m in length and can weigh between 20-40kg. Diet: Rheas are omnivorous, including small animals in their diet such as scorpions, lizards and rodents; however, adults feed mainly on plants, seeds, roots and fruits, while younger ones prefer insects (e.g. grasshoppers, cockroaches and other pest insects). Behaviour: Solitary during breeding season and sociable birds the rest of the year, forming groups between 5 to 30 individuals. They may form group herds with other animals such as deer or guanacos. Good swimmers. Breeding: Polygamous. Males can be vocals during mating season, females are not. A male can mate with several females and there may be up to 30-50 eggs in one nest. Males incubate the eggs and there may be more than one male per nest, but only one male will dominate. During the breeding period, males are extremely aggressive and may even chase away female rheas. Incubation period lasts about 5 weeks. In nature, the Greater Rhea can live up to 10 years. Main predators: feral dogs can eat younger rheas, while the adult rhea s main predators are cougars and jaguars. Armadillos are known to feed on the eggs. Human interaction: Rheas are farmed by humans for their eggs, meat, oils and leather. Greater Rheas can be beneficial to farmers as they eat a large variety of invertebrates and other pest insects, however, some farmers consider these birds a pest of their broad-leaved crops e.g. cabbage, chard, bok-choy. Rheas are declining due to man hunting, eggcollecting and by their habitat being converted to farms and ranch-lands. Interesting facts: the rhea is the largest bird in South America. PAGE 18
Greater Rhea Rhea Americana PAGE 19
EMU and CASOWARY Superorder: Paleognathae Order: Casuariiformes Families: 2 Species: 4 (Southern Cassowary - Casuarius casuarius; Dwarf Cassowary - C. bennetti; Northern Cassowary - C. unappendiculatus; Emu - Dromaius novaehollandiae) Distribution and habitat: Australia and New Guinea. Cassowaries inhabit mainly forestlands, including dense tropical forests, eucalyptus, mangrove and palm forests of both Australia and New Guinea, while emus are found only on Australian grasslands and savannahs, such as open country pastoral lands, heath lands, coastal dunes and arid zones. Anatomy: ratites e.g. flightless, nonmigratory birds. They have 3 toes, very small wings hidden under their feathers. Their plumage is finely divided and looks more like hair than feathers. They have areas of bare skin on their necks. Cassowaries have a large claw on their inner toe to attack enemies; they also have a colourful neck and wattle (Dwarf Cassowaries do not have wattles), as well as a unique casque (adults only) projected from their head. They have feathers with shaft and aftershaft. Adult cassowaries have black feathers, while young ones have brown feathers. Females are dominant and generally larger than males. Cassowaries may grow up to approximately 1.7m tall and can weigh up to 85kg. Emus can grow as tall as 2m and can weigh as much as 60kg, with females slightly larger than males in size. Diet: omnivorous diet feeding mainly on fruits, but may also eat small animals, insects, carrion, fungi and other plants. Behaviour: non-migratory; mainly solitary and territorial; they may form small family groups. Contact among adults will occur only during mating season. Cassowaries use their casque to make their way through the bush and to assure their dominance during breeding season. They are passive but will attack if threatened. Their voice is loud and booming during mating season, and hissing and coughing at all other times. Emus can tolerate broad temperature ranges due to the structure of their feathers. Their plumage colours may change depending on environmental factors, to assist camouflage. Breeding: Incubation period last approximately 7-8 weeks and it is achieved by the male. Female cassowaries lay 3-5 eggs. Cassowaries can live up to 20 years in the wild and up to 40 years in zoos. Female emus are not monogamous and may show aggressive behaviour during mating season. Females lay between 6-14 eggs. They mate many times in one season and can lay several groups of eggs during that time. The male emu will protect and feed the chick for approximately 1 year. Their life expectancy is between 10-20 years in the wild. PAGE 20
Main predators: hawks, eagles and dingoes, however, the emu has a greater possibility to defend itself against terrestrial predators due to its ability to jump high and kick. Red foxes prey on emu eggs. Human interaction: the population of cassowaries is declining in New Guinea due to hunting, while in Australia this is mainly due to deforestation. Emus are farmed by humans for their meat, leather and oils. Interesting facts: emus are the largest birds native to Australia and the world s second largest bird species, while cassowaries are the second heaviest bird on earth. Cassowaries help spread rainforest tree seeds due to their ability to swallow and disperse large seeds. Southern Cassowary Casuarius casuarius Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae. Native Australian bird and the largest of the continent. PAGE 21
KIWI Superorder: Paleognathae Order: Apterygiformes OR Dinornithiformes Families: 1 Species: 3 to 6 (e.g. Great Spotted Kiwi - Apteryx haastii; Little Spotted Kiwi - A.owenii; Okarito Brown Kiwi - A. rowi; Southern Brown Kiwi - A. australis; North Island Brown Kiwi - A. mantellii). Distribution and habitat: New Zealand. Their habitat includes forestlands, shrubs, dense plantations and subtropical farmlands. Anatomy: kiwis have small vestigial wings. They have 4 toes. Kiwi birds have brown feathers that look like bristly fur, and a long bill with nostrils at the tip. Depending on their sex and specie, they may weigh between 1.3-2.5kg. Diet: carnivorous; earthworms and other small animals. Behaviour: kiwis are flightless, nocturnal, non-migrant birds with excellent olfactory senses. They hide in dense vegetation or a burrow during the day. Their food searching and other activities begin at sunset when they wake, where they will often be heard producing a loud whistling call. If threatened, kiwis can attack enemies with their claws. Breeding: monogamous. Females lay 1-2 eggs in a nesting burrow. Incubation period takes about 10 weeks and it is generally performed by the male. Their eggs have a large amount of yolk, which nourishes the bird up to a week after it has hatched. They hatch fully feathered and after a week they are independent enough to find their own food. They are sexually mature after 3 years and have been known to live up to 17 years of age. Main predators: stoats, cats and rats are the main predators of young kiwis until they grow large enough to defend themselves, while ferrets and dogs generally kill mature kiwis. Other introduced mammals also prey on kiwi birds. Human interaction: their population has been greatly affected by deforestation. Kiwis are also threatened by untrained pig-hunting dogs. Possum traps kill a large number of kiwis per year. They were hunted in the past for food and feathers; nowadays they are not hunted but considered as guardians by the Maoris. Interesting facts: kiwis are the smallest of all ratites. They are the only birds to have nostrils at the tip of their bill. They lay the largest eggs in relation to their body. Kiwi Apteryx mantellii PAGE 22