Peru
Andean Condor
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Meet the Andean condor! With one of the biggest wingspans of any flying bird, this giant soars high above the Andes Mountains of South America, riding the wind for hours without flapping its wings.
Why is it special?
The Andean condor has one of the largest wingspans of any flying bird, stretching over 10 feet (3 meters) from tip to tip.
It is a national symbol of Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina, and appears on several countries' coats of arms.
How does it live?
Condors live high in the Andes Mountains and glide on rising warm air currents called thermals, barely flapping their huge wings.
They are scavengers, mostly eating animals that have already died, which helps keep the mountains clean and healthy.
Amazing facts
An Andean condor can glide for hours using rising warm air, without flapping its wings even once.
It can soar as high as 15,000 feet (about 4,500 meters), higher than many airplanes fly on short trips.
Quick facts
- An Andean condor can glide for hours using rising warm air, without flapping its wings even once.
- It can soar as high as 15,000 feet (about 4,500 meters), higher than many airplanes fly on short trips.
- Andean condors can live for 50 to 70 years, making them one of the longest-living birds in the world.
- Adult males have a large fleshy comb on top of their head, while females do not.