Observation of a Common Rhea Shared Nest (Rhea americana albescens)
AUTHORS:
Marisa E. Sanchez1; Juan Jose Bianchini 2; Tito Gustavo3; Bruno Carpinetti4 1 at Estación de CrÃa de Animales Silvestres (ECAS). Bs.As. Argentina. 2 Professor, at Universidad Nacional de La Plata. La Plata-Bs.As. Argentina. 3Biologist, Coordenador do Programa Investigação de Fauna Silvestre da ECAS. Bs.As. Argentina. 4 Policial Florestal, Boss at ECAS. Bs. As. Argentina.
ABSTRACT:
The Greather Rhea of the pampas (Rhea americana albescens) is one of the species whose reproductive behavior is characterized for polygamy and successive polyandry. The chick’s incubation and breed is made by the male exclusively. In the reproductive season 1992 it was made pursuit to identify the different steps of this period (courtship, copilation, posture, incubation and breed).
The experience was carried on in Wild Animals Breeding Station, an organism supported by Ministerio de la Producción Dirección Provincial de Producciones Intesivas, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina. A video recorder Panassonic (Model 8000) was used and all the aspects of reproductive behavior was recorded.
It was found a shared nest, by two males. In this same nest during incubation, it was not observed intraspecified aggression. In the following steps, it was seen that only one male woned breed the chicks while the other was ejected when trying to approach the chicks.
