Nanda or, as it is also called, the South American ostrich is one of the largest birds living in the vastness of the South American pampa. It is very similar to the African ostrich, including in its diet. The latter in this representative of the fauna is very diverse.
Instructions
Step 1
Nandu are ratites, non-flying birds, one of the most ancient representatives of birds on the planet. They live in the South African pampa in the territories of Brazil, Bolivia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina. Outwardly, they are very similar to the African ostrich.
Step 2
Like all ostriches, the stomach of the rhea is small, but has strong muscular walls and a lumpy surface of the inner volume. All this ensures the problem-free processing of coarse vegetable feed by the body of the bird. The long intestine also contributes to the same - in various species of ostrich it exceeds the body length by 8-20 times. Rhea, like all ostrich birds in general, swallow small pebbles, which serve them to grind food and better assimilate it.
Step 3
The diet of rhea birds is very diverse, although they mainly feed on plant foods, they do not refuse animals either. In natural conditions, rhea eat fruits and rhizomes, mostly cabbage, legumes and nightshade plants. Thorn tubers and avocado fruits are eaten. They hunt invertebrates - locusts, bedbugs, cockroaches, grasshoppers, flies, spiders, scorpions, bees, bumblebees. They eat small vertebrates - birds, rodents, snakes, lizards, they will not pass by the fish thrown ashore. Birds of rhea can go without water for quite a long time, getting it from food. But when there is water, they drink willingly and bathe with pleasure.
Step 4
Currently, in many climatic zones, including in central Russia, farms are being created that raise ostrich birds. Birds successfully adapt to unfamiliar conditions. An example of this is the European rhea herd in Germany. In August 2000, 3 pairs of rhea were released here. They overwintered safely, and the next summer gave birth to offspring. According to experts, by 2008-2009, a population of wild rhea was formed in Germany, numbering about 100 individuals.
Step 5
In the middle lane, South American ostriches eat almost everything that other poultry does. Compound feed, alfalfa, and clover are prepared for them. Birds readily eat carrots and apples. For the winter period, corn is a good food. In terms of calorie content and digestibility, it surpasses all other crops. Corn is introduced into the diet of birds in the form of cereals or porridge. In the summertime, the rhea happily eat young corn stalks and greens.
Step 6
In addition to corn, cereals are widely used for feeding rhea - wheat, barley, oats. Both adult birds and young birds willingly consume fresh greens - clover, alfalfa, greens of peas and beans, finely chopped nettles and mixed with vegetables. In winter, herbal flour is introduced into the diet of birds.
Step 7
A valuable source of vitamins and mineral salts in the autumn-winter period are root crops - beets, turnips, rutabagas, boiled potatoes mixed with bran, and chopped carrots.
Step 8
To ensure a normal metabolism, rhea are given animal feed - yogurt, cottage cheese. Young animals and females are given milk whey instead of water during the breeding season. In small quantities, boiled fish of non-commercial varieties, meat, boiled chicken eggs are introduced into the diet.
