Andean Condor

Small banner

Andean Condor

	Scientific name: Vultur gryphus
	Family name: Cathartidae
	Are they endangered? Some sources say they are endangered and some say they are not. (IUCN Redlist—Lower risk but near threatened) These birds are decreasing in numbers over the last 12 years.
	What are their past/present problems? Hunters shoot them for their feathers and bones. Native South American people used to use them in their festivals.

When farmers put pesticides on their crops to kill bugs, the chemicals get on (and in) the animals that are on the ground. The birds of prey eat those animals and it kills them or makes their eggs have shells that break easily. This means that the numbers of Andean Condors decrease.

What do they look like? These birds have a bumpy, brown head that doesn’t have feathers on it. Their eyes are red and they have white, fluffy feathers around their neck. Their bodies are black and the middle of their wings is white. Their feet and beaks are white.

How big are they? The Andean Condor is about 43-51 inches long. Their wings spread out to about 10 feet wide.

How many eggs do they lay? The female lays one white egg every two years. The eggs hatch in about 2 months, a long time for incubation.

How long do the fledglings stay in the nest? They build nests in caves and on cliffs. The babies (fledglings) start to fly in sixth months but stay with their parents for two years.

When do they hunt? They hunt during the day. (diurnal)

What do they eat? They eat small to medium sized animals that are usually dead already. Sometimes it sits and waits for sick animals to die.

Where do they live? They live in South America in places like Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

What kind of place do they like to live in? These birds like to be high up in the mountains, on rocky islands and in open grasslands.

Interesting facts:

	They may live to be fifty years old.
	Andean Condors don’t have a voice box so they don’t make any sounds.
	They fly very high and use the air currents to save flying energy.