Today’s probably a day off for Americans, so think about sending me some wildlife photos. Thanks!
Today’s photos are of Andean condors (Vultur gryphus), which, with a wingspan of 3.3 meters (10.8 feet) is the largest bird of prey in the world and probably the largest bird in the world. Wikipedia adds that it can weigh up to 15 kg, or 33 pounds. The photos were sent in by Patricia and Guy Morris, whose words are indented. Click to enlarge the photos.
In November 2004, after visiting the Galapagos, we stayed in Ecuador for another few days. One of the places we visited was Hacienda Zuleta, northeast of Quito, where they have an Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) facility for rehabilitating and attempting to breed non-releasable condors in captivity (about 7 permanent residents). It has taken decades ,but they have recently had some small breeding successes.
There are only ~100 Andean Condors in Ecuador and about 6,700 in all of South America, but it is the national bird of four South American countries including Ecuador, and is prominent on the Ecuadorian flag.
JAC: Here’s the Ecuadorian flag:
They are considered endangered in northern South America and threatened in the rest of their range. They do not breed until about 7-8 years old and only have a single chick every other year. The Incas believed the condor was a messenger to the gods. Condors spend only about 1% of their flight time flapping, most often during takeoff. One telemetered condor flew more than 100 miles in 5 hours without flapping. They have a 10+ foot (3 meter) wingspan and weigh 17-33 pounds (7-15 kg.). Males have a comb and brown eyes, while females lack the comb, and have red eyes.
Like many carrion feeding birds, their heads are mostly bare skin (some small bristles only), presumably for cleanliness. Males are a bit heavier. They are the only visibly sexually dimorphic vulture. They primarily eat carrion, but farmers claim they take newborn lambs or calves sometimes and I (Pat) tend to believe that this may be true since I once saw a California condor (Gymnogyps californianus) attacking a live California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) pup. Consequently farmers sometimes shoot or poison them. They may also suffer from lead poisoning, as California condors do, after eating carrion that has lead shot in it (or being shot).
Hacienda Zuleta is a huge, gorgeous, working/guest ranch, the former home of a former President of Ecuador and extremely expensive (prices quoted are per person, but hey, all meals and activities are included). They have their own breed of saddle horses (Zuleteño – Andalusian/Thoroughbred/American Quarter horse) and an extensive riding program, as well as ruins of Caranqui pyramids on the property. The Caranqui was a civilization that predated and was conquered by the Incas. While it is very clear today that only guests at Hacienda Zuleta can visit the condor facility, in 2004 that was a bit murkier. Staying there was way outside our budget and we decided if necessary we’d ‘ask for forgiveness instead of permission’. It was very quiet, so we got to see the outer courtyard, horses, sheep and eventually located the condor facility. There was no one around. Guy was so excited to go see the condors that he locked the keys in the rental car. I (Pat) had at least seen Andean condors at a distance on a visit to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina in 1987, so I let him run off to see the condors immediately, just in case we got caught’and were asked to leave. Fortunately, the rental car still had those buttons that stick up from the door frame inside the window and I found an old piece of fence wire on the ground and with a little help from my Leatherman fashioned a hook to unlock the car. The condors were impressive and two wild ones stopped by to perch atop the captive aviaries (wonder if they sometimes get a free lunch). I’ve included the link to Hacienda Zuleta’s website not because I’m expecting many folks can afford to go stay there, but they do have lots of great pictures on their website.
Wild Male Andean Condor (comb, brown eye) perched atop captive aviary
Captive Male Andean Condor at lunch:
Captive Female Andean Condor (no comb, red eye):
Captive Female Andean Condor (red eye, somewhat bristly head):
Juvenile free ranging Andean Condor perches on the aviary surveying the valley (brownish plumage, no white neck ruff yet – they graduate to adult plumage at 6-8 years old):
A domestic llama (Lama guama) at Hacienda Zuleta (condor aviaries in background)
A couple of handsome Zuleteño horses (Equus ferus caballus) at Hacienda Zuleta:
We did go riding in Ecuador at a different location on Paso Fino horses. Here is one with a fairly typical Ecuadorian saddle. They have a very high pommel (front) and cantle (back) to keep you from sliding out of the saddle in mountainous terrain. I (Pat) did learn about one drawback to the high pommel. If your abdomen is not flat and hard, the pommel tends to rub you going uphill. The next day I had a multicolored bruise across my lower stomach. The saddle also has a tail crupper to stop the saddle from sliding forward.
Not sure what adjective to use – a refreshing, bracing mood to the set – a sort of strength to the condor, bracing the elements, living as a “lowly” carrion-feeder.
But of course, “lowly” is just revealing a human conceit – I’d never survive if I changed places with them.
Good story!
I also believe the stories that local people tell about condors killing things. They often say that they fly at animals on steep terrain, scaring them and making them fall off a cliff. Once I was climbing on the Tungurahua volcano and six Andean Condors came flying down the ridge I was on, close together, at very low level. When they got to me they turned upward and circled, gained altitude, and then continued on their way. I think they were looking for animals to scare.
When afield, I sometimes notice Black Vultures circling overhead, and I wonder if they are checking me for signs of movement.
They are just looking for something to eat. Scaring animals is not a condor tactic. They will attack smaller weaker or sick animals, but many vultures do that now to survive.
Joe, how do you know this? The ones I saw were traveling low and fast, not a good way to search for food.
Thank you, Pat and Guy, these photos and your stories are so interesting.
Very cool!
A great set!
When we last visited the Grand Canyon, the chattering crowd near the rim suddenly fell silent as a great Condor cruised nearby. One cannot be prepared to really know how big this things are until you see them.
and Andean Condors are 10-20% larger than CA Condors.
“…probably the largest bird in the world”
I guess that amongst extant species that title actually belongs to the Ostrich which can exceed 150 Kg. Southern Cassowries at over 50 Kg are also substantially larger as are Emus (45 Kg) and Rheas (25 Kg) and Emperor Penguins (up to 46 Kg). What those species all have in common, of course is that they are flightless. The Andean Condor is probably the largest flying bird and an utterly magnificent creature.
I occasionally see a turkey vulture here in NS. They look to be about twice the size of a bald eagle, which are much more common.
Incidentally, the bristle-headed photo reminds me of myself when my hair was growing back after chemo!
“I occasionally see a turkey vulture here in NS. They look to be about twice the size of a bald eagle, which are much more common.
No, that’s not right. The eagle is much larger than the Turkey Vulture both in wingspan and in weight. It’s easy to misjudge bird sizes.
https://avianreport.com/bald-eagle-wingspan-versus-birds-prey/