Condors are masters of soaring. Rather than flapping their huge wings constantly (which would use enormous energy), they ride columns of warm air — called thermals — that rise up from the mountains and valleys below. A condor can soar for hours without flapping its wings at all, gliding in great circles high above the Andean peaks.
The condor has a bald head and neck, which looks a little unusual but is actually very practical. Condors feed on the remains of large animals, and a feathered head would be very hard to keep clean during feeding. The bald skin also changes colour — flushing pink or red — as a way for condors to communicate their mood to each other.
Andean condors are important in the cultures of many Andean peoples. In Quechua — one of the Indigenous languages of the Andes — the condor is called 'kuntur' and is seen as a sacred messenger that links the world of humans with the sky. Images of condors appear on ancient stonework, weavings and pottery throughout the Andes.
Condors take a very long time to raise their young. They lay only a single egg, and both parents care for the chick for over a year. Young condors do not reach full maturity until they are about six years old. Because of this slow breeding rate, condor populations need extra care and protection to stay healthy.