In a 2013 to 2018 study near Bariloche, Argentina, eight condors flapped for only 1.3 percent of their recorded flight time, and more than three quarters of all the flapping they did was linked to takeoffs, when a heavy bird must get off the ground. Flapping was estimated to use 21 percent of the daily flight energy, because 3.3 minutes of takeoff flapping costs as much as 50 minutes of soaring. The authors conclude that the overall flight effort of the largest soaring birds seems to be set by the cost of taking off.

In the Bariloche study, altitude was the most important factor in flight effort, with more effort at low altitudes. Wind speeds in the study ranged from 4 to 47 kilometers per hour, but wind explained little of the variance in flight effort. The study estimated that in winter, with weak thermals, a condor would flap for only about 2 seconds per kilometer. Condors in the study spent over twice as much flight time soaring in thermals (32.5 percent) as in air pushed up by hillsides (12.1 percent).

Studies of adults of the species give weights of 8 to 11 kilograms for females and 11 to 15 kilograms for males. Among birds of prey, the Andean condor has the longest wingspan, which stretches up to about 3.2 meters (10.5 feet) from tip to tip.

The largest soaring birds alive today weigh up to almost 16 kilograms, but an extinct bird of Argentina, Argentavis, is estimated to have weighed about 72 kilograms or more.

As of November 2026, the IUCN Red List lists the Andean condor as Vulnerable. Scientists estimate that fewer than 7,000 adult Andean condors live in the wild.

Scientists counting condors in Colombia used 207 observers at 84 simultaneous watching points, and as of November 2026 they estimated 175 to 269 Andean condors in that country, using a statistical method called an N-mixture model.

As of November 2026, lead from bullets and bait put out to poison other animals are two of the main dangers to Andean condors, and researchers in Argentina measured high lead in 76 wild condors, while captive-bred birds that had not met lead had much lower levels.

The 1989 Colombian reintroduction began with five male Andean condor chicks, with a plan to return condors to their native Colombian home.

Feeding young chicks with a simulated parent puppet was first done with Andean condor chicks, before the method was used for other condors.

As of November 2026, the National Geographic report says a conservation program in Argentina has rescued at least 370 condors and has hatched and released 80 condor chicks. The Argentine program says that for the first time in 170 years, the Andean condor can be seen from coast to coast in Argentina.

Words to know

• takeoffs: leaving the ground
• thermals: rising warm air
• variance: how much varies
• reintroduction: return to wild
• Argentavis: extinct Argentine bird