# Andean Condor (*Vultur gryphus*) The Andean Condor is a large bird that soars high in the sky. With its impressive wingspan, it can glide for hours without flapping its wings, making it a magnificent sight in the mountains. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Mountain regions - **Also known as:** Andean Vulture ![Andean Condor](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/204_-_Canyon_de_Colca_-_Condor_des_Andes_-_Juin_2010.JPG&width=800) Photo: Martin St-Amant ( S23678 ), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:204_-_Canyon_de_Colca_-_Condor_des_Andes_-_Juin_2010.JPG) ## Appearance The Andean Condor is a massive black bird with striking white patches on its wings, especially noticeable in flight. It has a distinctive white ruff of feathers around its neck and a bald, reddish-grey head and neck, which often changes color with its mood. Males also have a prominent dark comb on their head. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Accipitriformes - **Family:** Cathartidae - **Genus:** Vultur ## Interesting facts - A group of condors circling in the sky is called a "kettle," looking like boiling water! - Andean Condors don't have strong talons like eagles; they have flat feet good for walking. - Male condors have a fleshy comb on their head, like a rooster, which changes color. - They use their bald heads to keep clean while eating messy meals inside carcasses. ## Special abilities - **Thermal Surfer:** Andean Condor can expertly ride warm air currents that helps them climb to incredible heights without flapping their wings. - **Sky Eyes:** Andean Condor has incredible eyesight that helps them spot tiny carcasses from thousands of feet up in the vast mountains. - **Nature's Clean-Up Crew:** Andean Condor has a powerful, hooked beak and strong neck that helps them tear tough hide and clean the environment. - **Energy Saver:** Andean Condor can soar for hours without flapping their wings, saving lots of energy to search for food. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 100-135 cm - **Wingspan:** 270-330 cm - **Weight:** 8-15 kg - **Lifespan:** 50-70 years - **Speed:** 55 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1 - **Incubation:** 54-58 days ## Diet & Feeding These giant birds are nature's clean-up crew, eating dead animals to keep mountains tidy! - **Primary Foods:** Carcasses of large mammals, Llama remains, Alpaca remains, Deer remains, Cattle remains, Sheep remains - **Foraging Method:** Scavenging ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** [Vicuña](https://www.snappit.app/explore/vicu%C3%B1a) (*Vicugna vicugna*) — cleans up carcasses of these wild camelids in the Andes. - **Eats:** [Guanaco](https://www.snappit.app/explore/guanaco) (*Lama guanicoe*) — feeds on the remains of wild guanacos, helping decomposition. - **Eats:** [Cattle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattle) (*Bos taurus*) — disposes of dead farm animals, preventing spread of disease. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Aerial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aerial): Aerial creatures spend a significant portion of their lives airborne, utilizing flight for various activities such as hunting, migration, or nesting. - [Scavenger](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/scavenger): Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem. - [Gliding](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/gliding): Gliding animals move through the air by launching themselves and maintaining flight with specialized body structures, without flapping wings. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Andean Condor? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Andean Condor? 100-135 cm ### What is Andean Condor's wingspan? 270-330 cm ### How much does Andean Condor weigh? 8-15 kg ### How long does Andean Condor live? 50-70 years ### How fast can Andean Condor move? 55 km/h ### What does Andean Condor eat? These giant birds are nature's clean-up crew, eating dead animals to keep mountains tidy! ### Where is Andean Condor usually found? Mountain regions ## Where to spot - [Zoo Dortmund](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-dortmund) — North Rhine-Westphalia, DE · Zoo - [Brandywine Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brandywine-zoo) — Delaware, US · Zoo - [Montgomery Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/montgomery-zoo) — Alabama, US · Zoo - [Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/connecticuts-beardsley-zoo) — Connecticut, US · Zoo - [National Aviary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/national-aviary) — Pennsylvania, US · Zoo - [Weltvogelpark Walsrode](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/weltvogelpark-walsrode) — Niedersachsen, DE · Zoo [View all places to see Andean Condor](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/andean-condor) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Andean Condor: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/andean-condor)