Rhea vs Emu: A Comparison
Key Differences Between Rhea and Emu
The key differences between a rhea and an emu are their size, appearance, lifespan, speed, temperament, and endangered status. The rhea is the only member of the order Rheiformes, which is found only in South America. Two types of rheas are called the “Greater” and “Lesser” rheas. The greater rhea is the largest of all South American birds! After its ratite relative, the emu is the second-largest living bird in terms of height. It is the only endemic member of the genus Dromaius and is confined to Australia, where it is the largest native bird. Although these two birds are the largest ratites in their respective domains, they are vastly different compared to each other. Let’s compare them below.
Rhea vs Emu: Size
The Emu is the world’s second-largest living bird, next to the Ostrich. It towers around 6 feet tall and weighs up to 100 pounds. Rheas are smaller than emus. About 3-5 feet (0.9-1.5 meters) tall, the South American bird rhea weighs 33–66 pounds (15 and 30 kilograms).
Rhea vs Emu: Looks
The rhea is distinguished by its long neck and long legs. Rheas have feathers on their heads, necks, and legs, but they do not have a tail. Rheas are flightless birds with excessively enormous wings. They are brown or gray, with creamy underparts. A rough coat of grey-brown to black feathers covers the body of emus. Their exposed skin is a striking blue-black color around their face and neck. Emu chicks are gray with black or brown stripes to help them blend in with their surroundings and avoid predators.
Rhea vs Emu: Speed
Rhea’s three-toed feet and powerful legs make it an excellent sprinter. Rhea, despite its inability to fly, can run at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour. Rheas use their long, powerful legs to evade danger. Even though their large wings are ineffective for flying, they are employed to keep the bird balanced and change direction while it runs. Emus used to be able to fly, but evolutionary adaptations have taken away that ability. Despite its inability to fly, the Emu is Australia’s fastest land bird. It is the world’s second-fastest-running bird (after the ostrich) on land. The Emu can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour (31 mph)!
Rhea vs Emu: Temperament
During the breeding season, male rheas compete for females, although they are not aggressive toward each other or other animals. An emu’s disposition may vary from one individual to the next. When it comes to each other, females are noticeably more wary than males. Males tend to be docile, and they’ll generally get along with each other!! Males who don’t get along may drive other males away.
Rhea vs Emu: Domestication
Rheas do not make good pets, however, farms have been established for greater rheas, who have long been hunted for their feathers, meat, eggs, skins, and more. You must, however, be well-versed in their care if you intend to raise them in agriculture. If you’re wondering if emus make decent pets, the answer is yes, but there are a few caveats. They, like any other animal, need to be properly raised and demand a precise level of care. Buying emu eggs, chicks, adolescents, and mating adults online is possible. Hatching eggs and chicks are most purchased, as they must be acclimated from the start, especially if they are being reared along with other species.
Rhea vs Emu: Life Expectancy
In the wild, emus live for 5 to 10 years. In captivity, they can survive for 15 to 20 years. The maximum lifespan of larger Rheas in the wild is unknown. Captives have been known to survive up to 13 years, but it’s likely that they’ll live considerably longer.
Rhea vs Emu: Endangered
A taxonomy for identifying species at high danger of global extinction has been developed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). While Darwin’s rhea is considered the least endangered rhea in its native regions by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the larger and Puna rheas are considered near-threatened. The conservation status of the Emu is Least Concern. Tasmania is the only place in Australia where they are absent. Roadkill, predation on eggs, and habitat loss all pose problems for these birds.
Wrapping Up Rhea vs Emu
Despite sharing some similar characteristics, these two flightless birds are oceans apart in terms of size, longevity, origin, and external look. Rheas, for example, are native to South America, whereas Emus are indigenous to Australia. The emu is much smaller than the rhea, even though they are both their native continent’s largest birds. However, regardless of which continent you find yourself on, both birds are interesting species!
