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The
Condor is one of the largest flying birds. The male has
a wingspan of 10 feet and weighs about 26 pounds, with a
length of 40 to 46 inches. The female is slightly smaller
and weighs about 20 to 22 pounds. The condor’s head and
neck are bare because this bird feeds on carrion, and without
feathers they do not run the risk of disease carried by
bacteria from within the prey carcass.
The hooked beak is designed for ripping and tearing meat.
The male has a fleshy comb or crest of red or black and
a white ruff at the base of the neck. The rest of the plumage
is black except for a large patch of silvery gray on the
wings. Wrinkled, fleshy wattles adorn the neck, and the
eyes are brown. Females lack the crest and wattles, have
red eyes, and are smaller in size.
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