Fertility of Greater Rhea orphan eggs: conservation and management implications

NAVARRO, J.L.; MARTELLA, M.B.; CABRERA, M.

JOURNAL OF FIELD ORNITHOLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 1998 p. 117 - 120

0273-8570

Greater Rheas (Rhea americana) lay unattended (orphan) eggs far from active nests. The objective of this study was to test the fertility of orphan eggs. Eggs were harvested and kept in storagef or 1-7 d and then transportedto incubationf acilitiesF. ifteen (38%)of 40 artificially incubated orphan eggs were fertile, and eight of them hatched. Orphaneggs found in mid- to late spring had higher fertility' than those collected in summer. These resultsp rovide the first evidencef or fertility of rhea orphan eggs.S ystematich arvesting and artificial incubation of Greater Rhea orphan eggs could increase productivity of wild populations,using eggs which normally would have no chance of development and without disturbing the breeding birds