5 facts you didn’t know about the Andean condor, the most majestic bird in Chile

The Andean condor is one of the most representative and majestic species, as it can be seen across almost all our national territory

If you are interested in this bird, keep reading because here you will find 5 interesting facts you didn’t know.

One of the largest flying birds

With a wingspan of over 3 meters, the Andean condor is one of the largest flying birds in the world. Although it is not a hunter, it usually patrols the Andes Mountains in search of a dead or weakened animal.

This bird can grow up to 1.3 meters in height and weighs up to 15 kilos, flies through the skies of South America in mountainous regions and the Andes Mountains.

It is on the Chilean national coat of arms

The devotion to the condor in Chile is so great that this bird appears on our national coat of arms along with the huemul.

The condor has been a national symbol since 1834 when the Chilean Congress approved a design by Chatworthy Wood, a British soldier and a painter living in our country. According to historians, the condor positioned to the right symbolizes that it is the owner and lord of the sky.

You can see the national coat of arms with a condor on the right side of the Chilean Passport. Photo: @traenen_garten

The condor is considered a natural monument

The Andean condor, being an endangered species, is protected by the Chilean state. In 2006, according to a decree from the Ministry of Agriculture, it became recognized as a natural monument.

In addition to the condor, the huemuls, chinchillas, and the Arica and Juan Fernandez hummingbirds are also considered natural monuments in Chile.

It dances to court its partner and takes good care of its offspring.

The Andean condor is a romantic! Don’t let its appearance fool you. Every two years, during the months of August and September, the male performs nuptial dances to attract the female.

The female usually nests in crevices or caves on cliffs to lay an egg. Once the baby is born, it’s cared for by the male and the female for at least the first 5 years of its life.

It has its own statue in Chile

If you are lucky enough to come to Chile, you can visit one of the statues in its honor. At Copiapó town hall, more exactly on the sidewalk of Alameda Manuel Antonio Matta, you will find an iron sculpture with its figure.

At the base of the structure there is a bronze plaque written in Arabic and Spanish indicating that it was inaugurated in 1944 to commemorate the bicentennial of Copiapó at the request of the Lebanese colony in Chile.

There is a statue of the condor in Copiapó. Photo: Monumentos.gob