The Andean condor is considered one of the world’s largest flying birds and is generally the largest bird of prey. It has glossy black plumage, a white ruff around the neck, and a featherless head. It can weigh up to 33 pounds and is considered a scavenger that uses its hooked beak to tear carrion. As a New World vulture, it stands nearly four feet tall, but its most impressive statistic is the nearly 11-foot wingspan that it uses to glide on thermals.
The Andean condor is considered vulnerable by the IUCN. It is threatened by habitat loss and by secondary poisoning from lead in carcasses killed by hunters. Getting a chance to photograph these majestic birds was a lifelong dream.