Habitats selected by the endangered Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) – implications for conservation

The abundance and spatial distribution of species are influenced by the distribution and availability of resources. The objective of this study was to evaluate habitat selection by a wild population of Greater Rhea (Rhea americana) in El Palmar National Park, Entre Rios, Argentina, and the adjacent agroecosystem. Sightings and signs (i.e. faeces, footprints) of Rheas and environmental variables were recorded every 45 days from April 2011 to March 2012 at 51 sites. The associations between the habitat selected by Rheas and landscape elements were analysed by means of generalised linear mixed models and generalised linear models. A total of 301 sightings were made, at 57% of the sampling sites. Habitat use was linked with environmental variables but differed with time of year (breeding vs non-breeding season). For much of the year, Rheas selected sites with a simple landscape structure, open and low vegetation, such as grasslands, crops and firebreaks, which facilitate movements of birds, and near waterbodies. In the breeding season, Rheas selected dense grassland sites. To manage and conserve this species, it is recommended that areas of open grassland free of shrubs are preserved and expanded and that grassland corridors are created to connect fragmented patches of grassland.