Andean Condor
Vultur gryphus
A huge vulture of the Andes Mountains with a wingspan of about 3.2 meters, the longest of any land bird.
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About the Andean Condor
Andean condors live in the Andes Mountains and nearby coasts and deserts, from western Venezuela to the southern tip of South America. With wings about 3.2 meters (10.5 feet) across, they ride rising warm air off cliffs and can soar for hours with very little effort, traveling as much as 200 miles a day to find food. Condors are scavengers that mostly eat the bodies of large dead animals.[1]
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Vultur gryphus[1]
- Size
- 97.5 to 128 cm (38 to 50 inches) long, with a wingspan of about 3.2 m (10.5 feet).[1]
- Weight
- 7.7 to 15 kg (17 to 33 pounds).[1]
- Lifespan
- Around 50 years in the wild. One captive bird lived to nearly 80.[1]
- Diet
- Scavenger. Mostly the bodies of large dead animals.[1]
- Habitat
- Mountains and coastal mountains, up to 5,500 m (18,000 feet).[1]
- Where it lives
- The Andes, from western Venezuela to Tierra del Fuego.[1]
- Group life
- Pairs mate for life. Condors roost together in groups.[1]
- Babies
- One egg every 2 to 3 years, incubated for 54 to 58 days. Chicks fly at 6 to 7 months.[1]
- Conservation status
- Vulnerable (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020).[2]
Fun facts
Vocabulary
- scavenger
- An animal that feeds on dead animals or leftover food.
- soar
- To fly high without flapping, riding on moving air.
- thermal
- A rising column of warm air that birds use to gain height.
- carrion
- The meat of an animal that is already dead.
- vulnerable
- A conservation label meaning a species faces a high risk of dying out in the wild.
See it in person
- Montgomery ZooMontgomery, Alabama · North AmericaSee this area on the zoo's website ↗
These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.
Sources
- [1] Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. “Vultur gryphus (Andean condor).” https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Vultur_gryphus/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
- [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Vultur gryphus (Andean Condor).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697641/181325230 (accessed 2026-10-02)
Facts last checked 2026-10-02.
