California Condor
The largest bird of prey in the world, soaring the Andes on a 3.3-meter wingspan.
The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) is a South American New World vulture and is the only extant member of the genus Vultur. It is found in the Andes mountains and adjacent Pacific coasts of western South America. With a maximum wingspan of 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) and weight of 15 kg (33 lb), the Andean condor is one of the largest flying birds in the world, and is generally considered to be the largest bird of prey in the world. One of two species commonly referred to as condors, it is a large black vulture with a ruff of white feathers surrounding the base of the neck and, especially in the male, large white patches on the wings. The head and neck are nearly featherless, and are a dull red color, which may flush and therefore change color in response to the bird's emotional state. In the male, there is a wattle on the neck and a large, dark red comb or caruncle on the crown of the head. The female condor is smaller than the male, an exception to the usual sexual dimorphism seen in birds of prey.
- Scientific Name
- Vultur gryphus
- Wingspan
- Up to 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in)
- Diet
- Carrion (scavenger)
- Conservation Status
- Vulnerable
Lore & Background
The Andean condor was described by Swedish scientist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae and retains its original binomial name of Vultur gryphus. The generic term Vultur is directly taken from the Latin vultur or voltur, which means 'vulture'. Its specific epithet is derived from a variant of the Greek word γρυπός (grupós, 'hook-nosed'). The word condor itself is derived from the Quechua kuntur. The Andean condor is a national symbol of Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru and plays an important role in the folklore and mythology of the Andean regions. It is considered vulnerable by the IUCN, threatened by habitat loss and by secondary poisoning from lead in carcasses killed by hunters. Captive breeding programs have been instituted in several countries.
In Their Own Story
Charles Darwin, in The Voyage of the Beagle, mentioned watching condors for half an hour without once observing a flap of their wings. Flight recorders have since shown that '75% of the birds' flapping was associated with take-off', and that it 'flaps its wings just 1% of the time during flight'. The condor soars with its wings held horizontally and its primary feathers bent upwards at the tips. The lack of a large sternum to anchor its correspondingly large flight muscles physiologically identifies it as primarily being a soarer. It flaps its wings on rising from the ground, but after attaining a moderate elevation it flaps its wings very rarely, relying on thermals to stay aloft. It prefers to roost on high places from which it can launch without major wing-flapping effort.
Reader's Guide
The Andean condor is found in South America in the Andes and the Santa Marta Mountains. In the north, its present range begins in Venezuela and Colombia, where it is extremely rare, then continues south along the Andes in Ecuador, Peru, and Chile, through Bolivia and western Argentina to the Tierra del Fuego. Its habitat is mainly composed of open grasslands and alpine areas up to 5,000 m (16,000 ft) in elevation. It prefers relatively open, non-forested areas which allow it to spot carrion from the air, such as the páramo or rocky, mountainous areas in general. The condor is primarily a scavenger, feeding on carrion. It prefers large carcasses, such as those of deer or cattle. It reaches sexual maturity at five or six years of age and nests at elevations of up to 5,000 m (16,000 ft), generally on inaccessible rock ledges. One or two eggs are usually laid per clutch. It is one of the world's longest-living birds, with a lifespan of over 70 years in some cases.
Did You Know?
- The Andean condor is the only extant member of the genus Vultur.
- The female condor is smaller than the male, an exception to the usual sexual dimorphism seen in birds of prey.
- The condor flaps its wings just 1% of the time during flight.
- It has a lifespan of over 70 years in some cases.
- The word condor is derived from the Quechua kuntur.
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