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Federal restrictions apply

Andean condor

Vultur gryphus

Birds › New World vultures (Accipitriformes) › Cathartidae (New World vultures)

The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) is a South American New World vulture and is the only extant member of the genus Vultur.

Zoos & aquariums

Experience: Expert / facility

FamilyNew World vultures

Record lifespan79 years

Adult weight23.1 lb

Kept byZoos & aquariums

Warnings

Mostly kept by zoos, public aquariums, sanctuaries or licensed facilities. The guide below describes professional husbandry so you can understand the animal, not as encouragement to keep one privately.

Federal legal status: Federal restrictions apply. See the federal legal snapshot and check your state rules before getting one.

Care guide

Group care guide

New World vultures

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: New World vultures use forests, open country and mountainous landscapes in the Americas, with Andean condors especially associated with cliffs and alpine plateaus. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Numerical housing and diet examples are for Vultur gryphus. Its documented tolerance of temperature extremes is not a target for tropical king or yellow-headed vultures. Specialist facilities must arrange lawful acquisition, secure containment and protected keeper access; aggressive birds should be shifted before enclosure entry.

Housing & setup

For Andean condors, AZA recommends new enclosures at least 16.5 × 11 × 7.6 m; do not treat this as a published minimum for smaller vultures.
Provide elevated sunning and roosting sites, stout branches and natural soil or grass to support foot health.
Provide condor nesting caves or chambers with sand or soil substrate.
Provide a clean, nonslip bathing pool; reported condor pools are about 2.4 m across and 30.5–45.7 cm deep.
Include separable holding pens and sheltered areas offering relief from weather extremes.

Sources 586 587

Climate & lighting

UVB: The AZA condor manual recommends sunlight and UV-transmitting skylights or suitable indoor UV-spectrum lighting; no family-wide lamp intensity is specified.

Sources 586 587

Diet

Whole rats and rabbits, including bones, within the condor's balanced ration.
A formulated zoo carnivore diet.
Whole trout as one component of a varied, nutritionist-reviewed condor diet.

Sources 586 587

Social life

AZA recommends compatible pairs for Andean condors, with multiple roosts and nests when several pairs share space; other cathartids require species-specific compatibility assessment.

Sources 586 587

Health watch

Pododermatitis.
Traumatic injuries and fractures.
Aspergillosis.
Gout.

Sources 586 587

Understanding the animal

About this animal

It is found in the Andes mountains and adjacent Pacific coasts of western South America. With a maximum wingspan of 3.3 m (10 ft 10 in) and weight of 15 kg (33 lb), the Andean condor is one of the largest flying birds in the world, and is generally considered to be the largest bird of prey in the world.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Andean condor” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	The Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) is a South American New World vulture and is the only extant member of the genus Vultur. It is found in the Andes mountains and adjacent Pacific coasts of western South America. With a maximum wingspan of 3.3 m and weight of 15 kg, the Andean condor is one of the largest flying birds in the world, and is generally considered to be the largest bird of prey in the world. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Andean condors inhabit mountain and coastal mountain habitat types in the Andean mountains of South America. — Animal Diversity Web
Behavior	The condor soars with its wings held horizontally and its primary feathers bent upwards at the tips. The lack of a large sternum to anchor its correspondingly large flight muscles physiologically identifies it as primarily being a soarer. It flaps its wings on rising from the ground, but after attaining a moderate elevation it flaps its wings very rarely, relying on thermals to stay aloft. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Reproduction	A pair of Andean condors may select a nest site and then roost in (or near) it for as much as two and a half months before mating actually begins. — Animal Diversity Web
Appearance and size	Andean condors have dark feathers in maturity (while juveniles are olive-grey and brown), with a white collar or downy plumage around the base of their necks. — Animal Diversity Web
History and naming	The Andean condor is sometimes called the Argentinean condor, Bolivian condor, Chilean condor, Colombian condor, Ecuadorian condor, or Peruvian condor after one of the nations to which it is native. The generic term Vultur is directly taken from the Latin vultur or voltur, which means "vulture". Its specific epithet is derived from a variant of the Greek word γρυπός (grupós, "hook-nosed"). — Wikipedia (community-edited)

Profile

Researched for this exact species. Sources are listed under In the wild above.

History

The Andean condor is sometimes called the Argentinean condor, Bolivian condor, Chilean condor, Colombian condor, Ecuadorian condor, or Peruvian condor after one of the nations to which it is native. The generic term Vultur is directly taken from the Latin vultur or voltur, which means "vulture". Its specific epithet is derived from a variant of the Greek word γρυπός (grupós, "hook-nosed").

Data and studies

Researched care notes

Findings checked against veterinary, zoo, welfare, keeper and peer-reviewed sources. Air, basking-surface and water temperatures are kept separate, and where sources disagree both are shown. “Study” notes report what a paper measured, not a universal rule.

Andean Condor (species)

Carcass and whole-prey feeding requires a balanced programme with documented sourcing and handling.¹
Nutrient comparisons with other taxa do not establish proven condor requirements. Evidence gap.¹
Use experienced staff, voluntary shifting, and positive reinforcement; avoid coercive handling and routine guest contact.¹

Andean condor

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Maximum recorded lifespan

Highest reported79years

AnAge 16279

Myhrvold et al. 16375

Longest recorded lifespan reported by each database; typical lifespans are usually shorter. The AnAge record comes from an animal in human care.

Typical adult weight

Average of sources23.1lb

AnAge 16223.1

Myhrvold et al. 16323.1

Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).

Clutch size

Average of sources1eggs

AnAge 1621

Myhrvold et al. 1631

Average per litter or clutch.

Incubation

Average of sources56days

AnAge 16256

Myhrvold et al. 16356

Female maturity

Average of sources7years

AnAge 1627

Myhrvold et al. 1637

Federal legal snapshot

Federal restrictions apply

Endangered Species Act: endangered. Selling or shipping across state lines in the course of commercial activity, importing and exporting all need USFWS permits, even for captive-bred animals. Breeders of non-native captive-bred species can register under the Captive-Bred Wildlife program. Moving and selling within one state is left mostly to that state. 179
CITES Appendix I. Appendix I: commercial international trade in wild-caught animals is banned; international movement needs both import and export permits. Buying captive-bred animals within the U.S. isn't restricted by CITES (other federal or state laws may apply). 173 186
USDA Animal Welfare Act (birds). Since USDA's 2023 bird standards, most commercial bird dealers and exhibitors (and many breeders who sell wholesale) need an Animal Welfare Act license, with some exemptions for small-scale breeders and retail sellers. Keeping your own pet bird doesn't. 184

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Animal Welfare Act standards

Birds (Subpart G). Applies to USDA-licensed or registered dealers, exhibitors (including encounters and paid programs) and research facilities. Private pet owners are not covered. These are legal minimums, not best care; the species care on this page goes further.

Indoor air temperature, humidity and any pool or water-feature temperature must suit the species and prevent discomfort or distress. §3.151
Birds may not be housed outdoors unless acclimated to the local temperature and humidity. §3.152
Enclosures must let birds stay dry and clean, give shade for every bird at once (including low-ranking ones), and have floors and perches that protect feet and legs. §3.153
A species-appropriate environment enhancement plan is required, approved by the attending veterinarian: social grouping plus enrichment such as perches, swings, objects to manipulate, varied food and foraging or task-oriented feeding. §3.154
Socially dependent birds, such as clutch-mates, must be housed together unless the veterinarian exempts them; birds may only share space with compatible animals. §3.160
The diet must suit the species, size, age and condition of the bird, with potable water in sufficient quantity; pools and water features must be kept clean. §3.155

Source: 9 CFR Part 3, current eCFR text (USDA APHIS Animal Care).

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Included in our hand-checked list of animals kept as pets, livestock or in zoos
AnAge has a longevity record from an animal in captivity
964 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

AnAge: The Animal Ageing and Longevity Database (Human Ageing Genomic Resources) Peer-reviewed researchCurated, referenced longevity and life-history records for thousands of species; maximum lifespans are often from zoo animals.
Myhrvold et al. (2015). An amniote life-history database. Ecology 96: 3109 Peer-reviewed researchPeer-reviewed compilation of life-history data for over 21,000 birds, mammals and reptiles.
50 CFR 17.11: Endangered and threatened wildlife Zoo, university or veterinaryCurrent federal Endangered Species Act list.
Species+ (UNEP-WCMC and the CITES Secretariat) Zoo, university or veterinaryThe official database of species listed under CITES.
USFWS International Affairs: CITES Zoo, university or veterinaryFederal agency that issues CITES permits.
9 CFR 2.1: Animal Welfare Act licensing (USDA) Zoo, university or veterinaryWho needs a USDA license to breed, sell or exhibit animals.
AZA Raptor TAG: Andean Condor Care Manual (2010) Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Animal Diversity Web: Cathartidae Peer-reviewed researchAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
GBIF Backbone Taxonomy (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) Peer-reviewed researchInternational scientific taxonomy used here for classification.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.