The California and Andean condor are two of the largest flying birds.
The California and Andean condor are two of the largest flying birds with wingspans of up to 9.5 to 10.5 feet. The Andean condor makes its home high up in the Andes Mountains of South America while the California condor nests under rocks, on high ledges and in redwoods in southern and central California, Arizona, Northern Baja California and Mexico. The birds fly at lofty heights of up to 15,000 feet, feed on carrion and are both listed as endangered.
California Condor
Related to the Teratorns---vulture-like birds of the Pleistocene era---the California condor soars over long distances during the day and occupies a large home-base territory. The bird has black feathers, a neck ruffle and a bald, pink head. Condors are scavengers, and are communal in their eating habits, gathering together to feed off the carcasses of mammals and sharing nesting sites with each other. After eating, the condor cleans his head by rubbing it on grass or brush and bathes frequently.
Andean Condor
The Andes Mountains are home to the Andean condor.
Even though the Andean condor weighs between 20 and 26 lbs., its wing span allows it to fly long distances. Once found in the Andes Mountains stretching from Venezuela to the Strait of Magellan, the endangered condor is limited to areas where strong air currents support its flight - in the mountains and off the coast. Like its North American cousin, the Andean condor is a carrion feeder. The birds are black with white markings on the wings and around the neck. Their heads are bald, like the California condor, but instead of being pink, their heads are black with a comb.
Reproductive Habits
The California condor does not reproduce until it is between six and eight years old, and then lays one egg every other year. If the egg is destroyed or removed, the female will lay another and possibly a third. These birds do not build nests, but depend on natural rock cavities or caves. Like the California condor, the Andean condor hatches a single offspring every other year. Both types of condors feed their young by regurgitating; both males and females share feeding responsibility.
Endangered Species
American and European fur traders arriving in California during the nineteenth century inadvertently caused the California condors to die off when the birds ingested poison lead buck shot left in the remains of carcasses. The settlers were responsible for destroying the natural habitat and poaching the bird. Starting in 1982, with only 22 condors left, the San Diego Zoo Global started the first propagation program for California condors in captivity. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, the National Audubon Society and the Los Angeles Zoo also participate. The Andean condor is also listed as endangered, although its numbers have not been as severely diminished.
Related posts
Chickadees live in cold climates during the winter.More than 800 species of wild birds exist in the United States and Canada, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Some birds live in groups...
The Northern Cardinal is a large songbird with a long tail, red feathers and a large crest.The Northern Cardinal is a distinctive American bird. The male has red feathers with a sharp crest, while...
Crows are among the most widespread birds in North America.North America is the third-largest continent, covering an area of 9,540,000 square-miles. Stretching from the Arctic Circle to Panama, No...
Egrets like these crowd many waterways in Florida.Of the hundreds of native birds in Florida, birders group them into two main categories: water birds such as seabirds, long-legged shore birds, sm...
How to Feed Mealworms to Baby BirdsMealworms are an important part of a bird's diet. Mealworms give a bird nutritional value of more than 50 percent protein. Adult birds have no problem eating mea...
