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condor (KON-dor, KON-dawr) - n., either of two very large New World vultures, the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) and the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus).
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Very large, with a typical wing-span of 3m (10ft), making them among the largest flying birds in the world. The Andean population is under threat, but not nearly as endangered as the California condor, who were once reduced to a population of 22 in captivity -- all wild California condors today were bred from them and released. [Sidebar: Extremely lucky visitors to the Grand Canyon might see one soaring by.] The name is (via Spanish cóndor) from Classical Quechua kuntur (the t > d shift was common in the coastal dialect of the time).
---L.
Thanks, WikiMedia!
Very large, with a typical wing-span of 3m (10ft), making them among the largest flying birds in the world. The Andean population is under threat, but not nearly as endangered as the California condor, who were once reduced to a population of 22 in captivity -- all wild California condors today were bred from them and released. [Sidebar: Extremely lucky visitors to the Grand Canyon might see one soaring by.] The name is (via Spanish cóndor) from Classical Quechua kuntur (the t > d shift was common in the coastal dialect of the time).
---L.
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