Coming up the Rhea! Bizarre moment a giant bird chases an unsuspecting huntsman along a country road
- Member of Warwickshire hunt appears to be less than happy after seeing rhea
- The bird, native to South America, chases the huntsman along the country road
- It is believed to have escaped from a farm in the nearby village of Avon Dasset
Bizarre footage shows a rhea escaped from a farm appearing to chase a huntsman down a country road.
A member of the Warwickshire hunt appears to be less than happy after coming up against the enormous bird.
It is believed to have escaped from the village of Avon Dasset, Warwickshire.
The rhea escaped from a farm from the village of Avon Dasset, Warwickshire, before chasing the huntsman
A witness, who asked not to be named, said: ‘The huntsmen’s hounds were barking near a small holding that contained ostriches from a nearby farm.
‘As a result a young rhea escaped and started running on the road – it was very close to the M40 motorway.’
In the clip, the bemused huntsman looks back at the giant bird as it follows his path down the country road.
The man rides his horse as the rhea chases after him, running along a grassy verge.
The bird eventually comes to a halt and the huntsman and horse slide out of view.
The hunstman seemed confused by the rhea, which chased him and his horse down the country road
The giant bird, which is a native of South America, seemed fixated with the horse and huntsman
However, it later stopped, turned and chased after an oncoming car in the bizarre footage
However, that isn’t the end of the action as a car drives down the road, heading in the direction the rhea had come from.
Bizarrely, the giant bird then decides to follow the vehicle, flying after it as the video comes to an end.
Confused onlookers watch the bird flapping in the grass in the clip.
Jason Burford from Cinderford, Gloucestershire was out walking his dog Molly in the Forest of Dean on November 3 when he stumbled upon the huge six-foot animal (pictured)
It is not the first time that a rhea has stunned Brits in recent weeks.
One bird shocked a dog walker in a forest already known as the capital of Britain’s booming wild boar population.
Jason Burford from Cinderford, Gloucestershire was out walking his dog Molly in the Forest of Dean on November 3 when he stumbled upon the huge six-foot animal that is capable of disemboweling a human with its six inch claws.
The 48-year-old was stopped in his tracks by the sight of the flightless bird, that is called the South American ostrich, and can run at speeds of 40mph, rounding a corner.
What is a South American rhea?
The Common rhea, also known as Rhea Americana or ‘Nandu’ is native to South American and often called the South American ostrich.
They can grow up to six feet tall and weigh up to four stone, with the males being larger than the females.
They are flightless and can run at speeds up to 40mph.
The birds can grow up to 67 inches and weigh up to 88lbs.
Rhea’s have six-inch claws that can deliver a fatal blow.
Male birds can bite or knock out a person with one blow from their claws, while female rheas are unlikely to be aggressive.
In the wild, they live in the pampas regions where it is hot in summer and very cold in winter, which means they are ideally suited to the changeable British climate.
In South America, rheas, which can live for up to 40 years are farmed for their meat, while in the UK they are increasingly popular as pets.
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