The Andean Condor is one of the largest flying birds, with a wingspan of up to 10.5 feet. Andean Condors are native to the western part of South America, and are the national symbol of several South American countries.
Adult Andean Condors are black overall, with fluffy white feathers around the back of the neck and patches of white on the wings. Like vultures, condors have a relatively featherless head. Males sport a fleshy comb at the top of the head, along with a neck wattle.
Andean Condors are scavengers, like other species of condor and vultures. They feed on carrion which they find by traveling up to 120 miles a day.
The Andean Condor is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List and was last assessed in 2012 by BirdLife International. This species has a moderately small global population which is suspected to be declining significantly owing to persecution by man. It is consequently classified as Near Threatened.
Some birds have fleshy growths hanging or protruding from the head or the neck. When these are a normal part of their anatomy, they are called caruncles. Caruncles are often made of bare skin, though some may have a sparse covering... Read more »
We're celebrating Vulture Week because this Saturday, September 6th, marks International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD). This commemorative day has been celebrated since at least 2009 and aims to highlight the importance of vultures and vulture conservation through education. The Andean Condor is... Read more »
