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Andean Condor

Vultur gryphus

Description:

It is a large black vulture with a ruff of white feathers surrounding the base of the neck and, especially in the male, large white patches on the wings. The head and neck are nearly featherless, and are a dull red color, which may flush and therefore change color in response to the bird's emotional state. In the male, there is a wattle on the neck and a large, dark red comb or caruncle on the crown of the head. Unlike most birds of prey, the male is larger than the female. The condor is primarily a scavenger, feeding on carrion. It prefers large carcasses, such as those of deer or cattle. It reaches sexual maturity at five or six years of age and nests at elevations of up to 5,000 m (16,000 ft), generally on inaccessible rock ledges. One or two eggs are usually laid. It is one of the world's longest-living birds, with a lifespan of up to 100 years old in captivity. (en.wikipedia.org)

Notes:

There's a site in the Colca Canyon named El Cruz del Condor (The cross of the condor). Between 7 am and 9 am there is a very realistic chance you will see Andean condors circling this site. There were at least a dozen perched on the side of the cliff the day I visited.

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9 Comments

vanhevel
vanhevel 11 years ago

gracias! thank you everybody!

felipeche72
felipeche72 11 years ago

C'est une magnifique photo, une très belle réussite qui met bien en valeur cet oiseau emblématique de la cordillère des Andes, félicitation.

AlejaPatiño
AlejaPatiño 11 years ago

que buenas fotos!!! hermoso

LuzDariBranCruz
LuzDariBranCruz 11 years ago

es el simbolo de nuestro escudo

Reza Hashemizadeh
Reza Hashemizadeh 11 years ago

Wonderful !

Arun
Arun 11 years ago

great spotting !!

vanhevel
vanhevel 11 years ago

Added it to the notes section Maria dB!

rutasandinas
rutasandinas 11 years ago

Espectacular e rey de los cielos de los Andes:::

Maria dB
Maria dB 11 years ago

Great spotting! Can you tell us something about how you came to see it?

vanhevel
Spotted by
vanhevel

Yanque, Arequipa, Peru

Spotted on Jan 8, 2013
Submitted on Jan 29, 2013

Spotted for Mission

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