Information
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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