Hobbies And Interests
Vocal Chords
Vocal chords are markedly absent in a condor. It produces sibilant or grunting sounds by pushing air through its body. Expressing emotions such as alarm or animation is executed by changes in colors of its bald head. Condors go through courtship rituals by having the head skin turn a deep red-pink, in congruence to emotional intensity. The condor also billows out its throat sac to impress its prospective mate.
Nature's Forager
Being vultures, these birds subsist on animal remains. Using their acute eyesight to locate food, they eat huge lifeless animals such as sheep and cattle. A condor can eat about 2 or 3 pounds of animal carcass at a single sitting, then forego eating for several days after.
Neatness
Condors are orderly creatures. They are known to do constant self-washing and they even take time to groom themselves. Condors are resilient against germs during feeding, so they don't fall ill. Rocks, branches and grass serve as "napkins" to clean up their necks and heads after feeding. Their bare heads are devised to prevent food from cleaving to them after they partake of a feast.
Flight
By entrapping thermal air currents under its wing, the condor glides on the air for hours when searching for food. It can remain aerial up to heights of 15,000 feet and attain a velocity up to 55 miles per hour.
Species Procreation
A condor starts to mate when it's around 5 to 7 years old. The female lays one or two eggs on a nest of sprigs. For 50 days, the male and female jointly nurture the eggs until they hatch. The eyes of the chicks are open when they hatch. The parents nourish them and provide for the chicks till the hatchlings reach their first year, with some even tending offspring until they are able to leave the nest. Presently, condors are bred in captivity, as they are in danger of near-extinction.