I was waiting tables in a diner (which, of course, had poisonous snakes all over the floor and tables, but I digress...). I managed to safely exit from said establishment. On the lawn out back, a medium-sized bird foraged. My sudden presence made it run about, pardon the pun, like a chicken-with-it's-head-cut-off. I couldn't resist. At the time, I thought "cool, a big ol' Tinamou". Apparently, even large tinamous aren't quite this size.
My experience with this group of birds is limited; some zoo time and book illustrations. I only got one good look at the dreambird as it scooted past, onward to wherever dreambirds go. The closest real-world species to compare it with is the Slaty-breasted Tinamou. Dreams being dreams, this wasn't exactly what the little bugger looked like. Now, cross the above bird, at eight inches long, with a Darwin's Rhea, over three feet, and you're very close. Viola!
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