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Andean Condor


Andean Condor
Photo Information
Copyright: Mircea Costina (mirceax) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 229 W: 49 N: 1356] (6261)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-05
Categories: Birds
Camera: Nikon D50, Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG Macro
Exposure: f/5.6, 1/1000 seconds
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-11-04 7:04
Viewed: 7029
Favorites: 1 [view]
Points: 28
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
The andean condor(Vultur gryphus) is the largest vulture in the world. It has a wing span of up to 10 feet and more. Male condors can weigh 24 to 33 pounds, and females from 18 to 24

pounds. It has mostly black feathers, with white flight feathers on its wing. Head feathers would get dirty when they ate, so their heads and necks are naked like most vultures. The skin on the head and throat hang in lose folds, and is reddish-black, with a fleshy wattle over the beak, called a caruncle. Condors can soar to altitudes of 18,000 feet, and to keep their heads warm at that height they tuck them into a downy, white neck ruff.

Condors can live up to 50 years, and mate for life. The female will lay her egg on a cliff ledge. Because there aren't any trees or other materials to build a nest with where they live they lay their egg on bare rock. Both parents take turns incubating the egg. They have one chick every other year. Their young take a lot of time and effort to raised. They can't fly until they are 6 months old and then rely on their parents for two more years.

Andean condors roost on the face of a cliff, and use the thermal updraft of warm morning air to lift off. They spend most of the day soaring on the updrafts created by the mountains and valleys. They cover a large area while foraging. Andean condors can be found over the coasts of Peru and Chile, and the Patagonian steppe of Argentina. They can spot a carcass from several miles off. Usually they follow smaller scavenger birds to find a carcass. This helps both scavengers, because only the condor can tear through the tough hides of some carcasses. The older condors get to eat first, and then the younger ones take turns in order of age. Condors feed mostly on the remains of mammals such as sheep, llama, vicuña, cattle, seals and the eggs of seabirds. Sometimes they will take newborn animals.

The Andean condor has a long life, but breeds very slowly. It takes them 6 to 8 years before they become mature. Any interference from humans quickly disturbs their pattern of breeding. Hunters kill the condor for sport, and farmers kill them because they think condors kill their animals. Because they mate for life, the death of a mate is very hard on the other partner and their chick. Condors have also died recently from pesticides that have been carried through the food chains. The number of Andean condors has gone down rapidly in recent years, but they still aren't on the official endangered list. Rescue attempts have been made through breeding captive condors and habitat research. These efforts have been moderately successful.
Source: www.blueplanetbiomes.org
angybone, Rolf, horia, Arjun, nglen, Argus, NinaM, MMM, tiklod has marked this note useful
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ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To horia: Salutmirceax 2 11-04 09:37
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Critiques [Translate]

Awesome shot!!! Love the majesty of the flight and the freedom. This is a beautiful creature though not in the common sense. There is something else ...can't really define it.
Thanks for sharing this wonderfully composed photo!

  • Great 
  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2158 W: 224 N: 4749] (16656)
  • [2007-11-04 8:47]
  • [+]

Salut Mircea

Pur si simplu fantastic! E greu de descris o asemea poza in cuvinte!
Si cu atat mai valorasa, cu cat nu ai facut-o cu o lentila mare (400 sau 500mm), nici cu una cu stabilizator, si nici macar un "prime-lens", ci o simpla lentila de zoom de aprox. 200$. Cu alte cuvinte, aceasta superba imagine e intru totul meritul fotografului...al tau!
Claritatea e impecabila, pozitia prinsa in zbor e exceptionala iar compozitia e excelenta.
Mai mult decat atat, faptul ca e partial luminata de soare ii confera un caracter 3D si mai pronuntat condorului.
Inca un luctu as dori sa suliniez aici - un alt lucru care pluseaza la valoarea imaginii, in ochii mei: BG-ul, care nu e un simplu cer, ci contine si o parte dintr-o stanca misto (cred).
Oricum, felicitarile mele!
O favorita, indiscutabil!

Bravo si TFS
Horia

PS: cam cat era distanta dintre tine si condor aici? (de curiozitate)

  • Great 
  • Rolf Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 58 W: 0 N: 27] (196)
  • [2007-11-04 8:47]

Hi Mircea
Nice action shot of this andean condor.
TFS
Rolf

  • Great 
  • Arjun Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 358 W: 7 N: 1237] (7593)
  • [2007-11-04 9:12]

hi horia,
great picture nicely composed and well shot
TFS

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2883 W: 30 N: 9683] (36145)
  • [2007-11-04 9:33]

Hi Mircea. This is a very good in flight shot of this beautiful bird. you have captured it with good detail and colours. I like the way the light is on the body. very well done TFS.good notes to read as well.
Nick..

great and majestic, TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5038 W: 260 N: 15594] (50626)
  • [2007-11-04 9:59]

Hello Mircea,
Superb and impressive capture of the Andean Condor with fine lighting and sharpness. Great POV and composition too.
Well done!
TFS this rare sight on TN!
Ivan

  • Great 
  • NinaM Gold Star Critiquer [C: 773 W: 3 N: 1157] (4077)
  • [2007-11-04 11:00]

What a beautiful shot of a beautiful bird. Its majesty is well captured and I really like the fact that you took the picture tilted a little, giving it movement and gracefulness. This bird looks like a flying chicken but much much more graceful! Look at its feet. Sharp picture, TFS.

Francine

  • Great 
  • MMM Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1114 W: 0 N: 2546] (11425)
  • [2007-11-04 11:16]

Hello Mircea
Lovely in flight capture.Excellent POV and sharp iamge whit great details .Those cloud as a BG are very nice.Exxcellent note.
TFS Michel

  • Great 
  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor [C: 2232 W: 10 N: 2971] (16891)
  • [2007-11-04 11:32]

Hola Mircea,
buena captura del mítico cóndor,
buenos detalles y genial pov,
saludos

  • Great 
  • PeterZ Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5137 W: 166 N: 13121] (49139)
  • [2007-11-04 12:50]

Hello Mircea,
Very impressive photo of the Condor. The biggest wingspan of all birds. You can see it in your composition. Beautiful light. Good BG with the blurred mountaintops.
Regards,
Peter

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1772 W: 36 N: 5597] (18598)
  • [2007-11-05 5:17]

Hi Mircea,
Awesome in-flight shot and the wingspan looks incredible. Very attractive sky as BG and the natural light is just perfect. Sharpness, colours, POV and exposure are very impressive here. Very nicely composed. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Hi Mircea,
Excellent capture of the condor - I would not risk if I say that this is one of the best condor captures on TN.
Details are magnificent and I love the posture and the background mountains.
I have seen condors in the nature but never this close.
Great work and TFS, Shir

  • Great 
  • tiklod Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 290 W: 74 N: 875] (3397)
  • [2007-11-08 11:55]

Hi Mircea,
Very beautiful shot with this massive opend wings!
EXCELLENT DETAILS ON BIRD and lovely BG.
Regards,

Claude

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