Male bird at Smithsonian's National Zoo has special reason to celebrate Father's Day
A rhea chick and its father stroll around the rheas' outside exhibit at the birdhouse of the Smithsonian's National Zoo. This rhea chick, along with three brothers and sisters, hatched at the National Zoo on April 20 and has been raised by its father. Although this parenting behavior is unusual, male rheas build the nest, incubate the eggs, and raise the chicks after they hatch. The bird originally comes from South America and can grow to be over five feet tall. Credit: Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo How will the only male rhea at the Smithsonian's National Zoo spend Father's Day? He will spend it much like he has spent the past eight weeks: as a proud papa nurturing and caring for his four chicks born April 20. This is the first time in some 30 years that rhea chicks have hatched at the Zoo.