Lesser rhea adult male with chicks, Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile

Feathered father figure. Happy Father's Day!

Long before neckties and greeting cards, Father's Day began with a daughter's quiet act of remembrance and steadfast love. In 1907, Grace Clayton, who lost her father in the Monongah mining disaster in West Virginia, United States, suggested a service to honour fathers who died in the incident. Although the idea didn't gain traction initially, it was revived in 1909 by Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, United States. She sought to pay tribute to her father, a Civil War veteran who raised six children alone. Her determination sparked a movement, laying the foundation for the day we now dedicate to dads.

In the spirit of Father's Day, featured here is a lesser male rhea, also known as Darwin's rhea, with his chicks in the Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile. A male lesser rhea mates with several females and leads them to a shared nest, where they lay eggs in succession before leaving and returning periodically to add more. From the moment his chicks hatch, the male lesser rhea takes full charge—guiding them through the brush, communicating with gentle whistles and sheltering them under his wings in times of danger or cold. Remarkably, he often adopts lost chicks, raising a mixed-age brood. For nearly six months, he teaches and protects them, with many staying close until maturity. Talk about going above and beyond for your kids!