About
The Andean Condor is the largest flying bird in the Western Hemisphere by combined measurement of weight and wingspan, with males reaching 15 kg and a wingspan up to 3.3 meters. This magnificent vulture soars on thermal currents along the Andes, sometimes traveling 200 km daily without a single flap of its wings. GPS tracking has recorded condors flying for five hours straight without flapping.
Conservation Status
Vulnerable
Physical Characteristics
Wingspan
270–330 cm
Length
100–130 cm
Weight
8–15 kg
Ecology
Habitat
High Andes, alpine meadows, coastlines, open grasslands
Diet
Carrion (primarily large mammals), sea bird eggs on coast
Distribution
South America — Andes from Venezuela to Tierra del Fuego, Patagonian coast