They are only 2 species of condor in the world Their bald head is a useful adaptation when putting their heads inside carrion and stops blood from matting and clogging up any feathers. Their family name ‘Cathartidae’ includes other vultures in North and South America.Ĭathartidae comes from the Greek word kathartes, meaning “he who cleans”, in reference to their contribution to eating dead animals and carrion. Only species of albatross and pelican are larger than the Andean condor. Male bustards do outclass them in weight, but not on wingspan. They have the largest wingspan of any raptorĪt over 3m, the wingspan of an Andean condor is bigger than that of an ostrich. The Andean condor is the largest flying bird in the Western hemisphere, and in the world when combining measurement of weight and wingspan together. The average weight and wingspan of this condor beat pretty much every other flying animal, making it, generally, the largest flying creature in existence, on average. With a wingspan of 3m (9ft 8) and weighing up to 15kg, Andean condors are truly giants of the sky. Interesting Andean Condor Facts 1 They are one of the largest flying birds in the world Several countries have implemented captive breeding programmes. The IUCN has classified the Andean condor as vulnerable due to habitat loss and secondary poisoning from lead in hunter-killed corpses. Males make surprisingly dedicated fathers and will sometimes feed the chicks more often than the females. Both sexes help incubate the eggs and feed the chicks. Females also lack the comb and wattles that males possess and have a different eye colour than males do.Īndean condors are monogamous and generally mate for life, though males tend to be the more dominant of the two. Unusual for a vulture species, Andean condors show sexual size dimorphism, with males considerably larger and heavier than females. They tend to be placid and good natured with other condors and these communal roosts may help with maintaining heat throughout the night. Although solitary when searching for food, Andean condors often roost communally, sharing their cliff ledge or shelf with several other condors. They will often feed on still-born animals, giving the impression that the condor itself has killed the newborn livestock. Although historically they would have fed mostly on dead wild animals such as the guanaco and deer, they are now most likely to feed on dead livestock, which have died as a result of disease or exposure. They search for recently deceased animals by sight, scanning the mountainous grassland for signs of carrion.Īndean condors spend much of their time soaring the skies in search of food. Like most vulture species, the Andean condor is primarily a scavenger. Mainly scavenge carrion but also actively hunt small mammals and birdsĬhicks and eggs occasionally fall prey to carnivorous mammalsĪlthough they tend to roost at high altitudes in mountain crevices and ledges, they will also search for food along the coast, in open grassland, and will even scavenge in desert areas. Some white patches on wings and a bald, black or grey head Mountainous habitats, including coastal mountains, and mountainous grasslandsįeathers mostly black with distinctive downy white collar around neck. Male Andean condors have a large comb on top of their foreheads, called a caruncle, as well as wattles on their neck, which they use to attract females.Īndean condors are found throughout the Andes mountain range in South America, including Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile, through Bolivia and western Argentina. Their bald heads are grey, dull red, or pinkish and change color depending on the bird’s age, health or disposition. Mostly black in color, Andean condors have bright, white downy feathers that form a collar around their necks. They have one of the largest wingspans of any bird and utilize this to soar at high altitudes, scanning the mountains for food. Considered by scientists to be one of the heaviest flying birds in the world, the Andean condor is a colossus member of the vulture family.
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