Types of Condors

The term condor is associated with just two members of the cathartidae, or new world vulture family. The Californian and Andean Condors are both native to the Americas and are large carnivorous birds closely related to turkeys and black vultures. Neither species is common; the Andean variety is near to being threatened and the Californian is extremely endangered.

  1. Description

    • The Californian condor is North America's largest flying bird. It grows between 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 feet in length with a 9- to 10-foot wingspan and weighs between 18 to 31 pounds. It has a mainly black plumage with white patches under its wings and a featherless head, which has orange to reddish skin. The Andean condor has a smaller body, at around 4 feet long with a larger wingspan of over 10 feet. It also is mainly black except for a patch of white on the throat and some of its flight feathers. The bird's head is also bare and reddish but has a fleshy crest on the forehead.

    Habitat and Range

    • The Californian condor is native to a few mountainous regions in south-central California, although at one time it was found all along the Pacific Coast. The Andean condor is found in western South America from Venezuela down through Argentina. Both species tend to live in mountainous regions that border open areas such as deserts and plains. Rocky ledges and cliffs are the general nesting sites for both species.

    Diet and Predators

    • The Andean and Californian condors are both mainly carrion birds, meaning that they feed on the dead carcasses of any available animal. The birds watch the ground to search for carcasses while flying. The Andean actually sometimes follows turkey vultures to kills. When fully grown neither bird has any real natural predators, but eggs and chicks may be vulnerable to birds of prey or predatory mammals that might reach the nest.

    Life Cycle

    • The two species both develop lifelong breeding partnerships and breed once every two to three years, laying just one egg each time. This limited breeding is one reason both species are facing dwindling population numbers. The Californian condor's eggs take about 56 days to hatch, while the Andean takes two to three months. Both species fledge after six to seven months. Life expectancy for both species is between 50 to 60 years.