Captured back on 3/23/08, at a now defunct nature center at a local park. Defunct because of the widening of the I-5 Freeway currently in progress. Sorry to see the animals go. The rheas are large ratites (flightless birds without a keel on their sternum bone) in the order Rheiformes, native to South America, related to the ostrich and emu. There are two extant species: the greater or American rhea (Rhea americana) and the lesser or Darwin's rhea (Rhea pennata). Both are currently rated as near-threatened in their native ranges; a feral population of the greater rhea in Germany appears to be growing. Wikipedia free encyclopedia. Sorry, this is about the best shot I could get of it, no thanks to the stark combination of sun and shadow. The rhea wouldn't turn and face me for a better image, no matter how much I pleaded. Judging from its expression it appeared rather alone and sad, perhaps because it was out of its natural milieu. Then again, maybe it was just in a deep sleep. Don't bother to zoom. Adieu.