The young are covered with a grayish down until they are almost as large as their parents. The world's oldest condor died at 100 in the Jardin d'Essai du Hamma in Algiers. They may live for 50 years or more, and mate for life. Sexual maturity and breeding behavior do not appear in the condor until 5 or 6 years of age. Behavior įurther information: Andean condor § Ecology and behavior, and California condor § Ecology and behavior Some scientists also have found that an ancient relative of the condor, Argentavis magnificens from South America, may have been the largest flying bird ever with a wingspan of 7 metres (23 ft). Adult birds' skin color can range from cream, pink, yellow, or even orange during breeding season.įossils of both extinct and extant condor species from the Pleistocene era have been found in various parts of North America, including New York and Florida, leading scientists to hypothesize that California condors (as well as their ancestors and relatives) once lived on the west coast of North America as well as all the way to the eastern coast, until their eventual extinction/extirpation. The skin on the necks will vary in color, depending on the age of the birds. Ĭalifornia condors' wingspan measures up to 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in), and they can weigh up to 10.4 kg (22 lb 15 oz).

Overall length can range from 117 to 135 cm (46 to 53 in) Measurements are usually taken from specimens reared in captivity. The female, contrary to the usual rule among birds of prey, is smaller than the male.Īlthough the California condor is, from beak to tail, about five cm (2 in) longer, the Andean condor has a wider wingspan, ranging from 274–310 cm (9 ft 0 in – 10 ft 2 in) and heavier, reaching up to 11 to 15 kg (24 to 33 lb) for males and 7.5 to 11 kg (17 to 24 lb) for females. The feet are thus more adapted to walking as in their relatives the storks, and of little use as weapons or organs of prehension as in birds of prey and Old World vultures. The middle toe is greatly elongated, and the hinder one but slightly developed, while the talons of all the toes are comparatively straight and blunt.

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