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| MEASUREMENTS: The Andean Condor has a body length of 43 - 51 inches and an 11-foot wingspan. The smaller female weighs 17 1/2 - 24 pounds while the larger male weighs 24 - 33 pounds. |
 HABITAT: Andean Condors prefer open grasslands and alpine areas in high mountain regions of western South America. These condors will go to lowland deserts and coastlines to forage, but will rarely visit forested areas. |
| DIET: Their diet mainly consists of carrion from large and medium-sized mammals. Condors cover great distances while soaring in search of food. |
| REPRODUCTION: These condors nest in caves or on ledges on a cliff face. They lay a single egg that is incubated for about 59 days. The young birds learn to fly around 6 months of age, but stay with the parents for several more months. Condors may only breed every other year because of the extended breeding season. Young birds become sexually mature at 6 or more years of age. |
| NAME DERIVATION: The scientific name comes from the Latin words vultur and vello, meaning to pluck or tear and refers to its feeding habits and gryphus means a griffon and refers to the hooked bill. The common name refers to the bird’s range in the Andes Mountains. |
INTERESTING FACTS:
- The male Andean Condor is one of the largest flying birds.
- Andean Condors may kill some living prey, whereas the California Condor never kills living prey.
- The Andean Condor is the only New World vulture to show differences between males and females. The male has a large comb and wattle that is absent in the females.
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