VU
Andean Condor Vultur gryphus



Taxonomy

Taxonomic source(s)
del Hoyo, J., Collar, N.J., Christie, D.A., Elliott, A. and Fishpool, L.D.C. 2014. HBW and BirdLife International Illustrated Checklist of the Birds of the World. Volume 1: Non-passerines. Lynx Edicions BirdLife International, Barcelona, Spain and Cambridge, UK.
SACC. 2005 and updates. A classification of the bird species of South America. Available at: https://www.museum.lsu.edu/~Remsen/SACCBaseline.htm.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - A4cde; C2a(i)

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2020 Vulnerable A4cde; C2a(i)
2017 Near Threatened A2de+3de+4de; C2a(i)
2016 Near Threatened
2012 Near Threatened
2008 Near Threatened A2d; A3d; A4d; C1
2004 Near Threatened
2000 Lower Risk/Near Threatened
1994 Lower Risk/Least Concern
1988 Lower Risk/Least Concern
Species attributes

Migratory status altitudinal migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type continent
Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 8,520,000 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 6700 mature individuals medium estimated 2001
Population trend decreasing poor inferred 1937-2024
Rate of change over the past & future 10 years/3 generations (longer of the two periods) 30-49% - - -
Generation length 28.9 years - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 1-89% - - -

Population justification: The species is naturally scarce. The global population has been estimated at 10,000 individuals, which equates to 6,700 mature individuals; however, recent information suggests that this is a maximum estimate (R. Wallace in litt. 2020). In Venezuela, the species may no longer be resident, with infrequently observed individuals probably visiting from Colombia, where recent population estimates detail 130 individuals, including reintroduced birds (Renjifo et al. 2016). In Ecuador, the population is estimated at 150 individuals (Naveda et al. 2016, Vargas et al. 2018). Peru holds a minimum of 150-250 individuals (Piana and Angulo 2015) and Bolivia holds around 1,400 individuals (Méndez et al. 2019). Chile and Argentina hold up to 2,000 individuals each, though there may be an overlap in these estimates (Wallace et al. 2020). The largest known population is in north-west Patagonia, with about 300 individuals, including 200 mature individuals (Lambertucci 2010, V. Escobar-Gimpel in litt. 2020). Despite being a wide-ranging species that covers large distances, it shows substantial genetic structuring, with dispersal being modulated by topographic features (Padró et al. 2018). It is therefore tentatively assumed that the species forms several subpopulations, which contain less than 1,000 mature individuals each, but this requires confirmation.

Trend justification: The species is in rapid decline caused by a variety of threats, including direct persecution by humans, lead poisoning, and deterioration of habitat quality through deliberate poisoning of carcasses. Even though the rate of decline has not been quantified across the entire range, it is suspected to fall in the band 30-49% over three generations (86.7 years; Wallace et al. 2020).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
Argentina extant native yes
Bolivia extant native yes
Brazil extant vagrant
Chile extant native yes
Colombia extant native yes
Ecuador extant native yes
Paraguay extant vagrant
Peru extant native yes
Venezuela possibly extinct reintroduced yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
Argentina Abra Grande
Argentina Alto Calilegua
Argentina Aluminé-Moquehue
Argentina Area Natural Protegida Auca Mahuida
Argentina Caspala y Santa Ana
Argentina Cerro Negro de San Antonio
Argentina Cuesta de las Higuerillas
Argentina Cuesta del Clavillo
Argentina Cuesta del Obispo
Argentina Cuesta del Totoral
Argentina El Fuerte y Santa Clara
Argentina El Infiernillo
Argentina Extensión Límite Este y Sur del Parque Nacional Nahuel Huapi
Argentina Fincas Santiago y San Andrés
Argentina La Cornisa
Argentina Lago La Plata - Fontana
Argentina Laguna de Varvarco Campos y Tapia
Argentina Laguna Guayatayoc
Argentina Lagunas Runtuyoc - Los Enamorados
Argentina Lagunas San Miguel y El Sauce
Argentina Lagunillas
Argentina Lotes 32 y 33, Maíz Gordo
Argentina Luracatao y Valles Calchaquíes
Argentina Monumento Natural Laguna de Los Pozuelos
Argentina Nahuel Huapi National Park and Reserve
Argentina Pampichuela
Argentina Parque Nacional Baritú
Argentina Parque Nacional Calilegua
Argentina Parque Nacional Campo de los Alisos
Argentina Parque Nacional El Leoncito
Argentina Parque Nacional El Rey
Argentina Parque Nacional Lago Puelo - Parque Provincial Río Turbio
Argentina Parque Nacional Laguna Blanca
Argentina Parque Nacional Lanín
Argentina Parque Nacional Los Alerces y Laguna Terraplén
Argentina Parque Nacional Los Cardones
Argentina Parque Nacional Los Glaciares y adyacencias (Estancias El Sosiego, La Soledad y Anita)
Argentina Parque Nacional Perito Moreno y Reserva Provincial San Lorenzo
Argentina Parque Nacional Sierra de las Quijadas
Argentina Parque Nacional Talampaya
Argentina Parque Nacional Tierra del Fuego y Reserva Provincial Corazón de la Isla
Argentina Parque Provincial Copahue-Caviahue
Argentina Parque Provincial Cumbres Calchaquíes
Argentina Parque Provincial La Florida
Argentina Parque Provincial Laguna Pintascayoc
Argentina Parque Provincial Los Ñuñorcos y Reserva Natural Quebrada del Portugués
Argentina Península Mitre
Argentina Quebrada de las Conchas
Argentina Quebrada del Condorito National Park and Reserva Hidrica Provincial Pampa de Achala
Argentina Quebrada del Toro
Argentina Queñoales de Santa Catalina
Argentina Reserva de la Biosfera Parque Nacional San Guillermo
Argentina Reserva Natural de La Angostura
Argentina Reserva Natural Las Lancitas
Argentina Reserva Provincial de Uso Múltiple Laguna Leandro
Argentina Reserva Provincial El Payén
Argentina Reserva Provincial Laguna Brava
Argentina Reserva Provincial Lagunas de Epulaufquen
Argentina Reserva Provincial Olaroz-Cauchari
Argentina Reserva Provincial Tromen
Argentina Reserva Provincial y de la Biosfera Laguna Blanca
Argentina Río Santa María
Argentina Ruinas de Quilmes
Argentina Salar del Hombre Muerto
Argentina San Francisco-Río Jordan
Argentina San Lucas
Argentina Santa Victoria, Cañani y Cayotal
Argentina Sierra de Ambato
Argentina Sierra de Metán
Argentina Sierra de Santa Victoria
Argentina Sierra de Zenta
Argentina Sierra Rosario de la Frontera
Argentina Sierras de Carahuasi
Argentina Sierras del Norte Cordobés
Argentina Sistema de lagunas de Vilama-Pululos
Argentina Sistema Uritorco
Argentina Socompá-Llullaillaco
Argentina Tiraxi y Las Capillas
Argentina Valle Colorado y Valle Grande
Argentina Valle del Río Collón Curá
Argentina Yala
Argentina Yavi y Yavi Chico
Bolivia Azurduy
Bolivia Bosque de Polylepis de Madidi
Bolivia Cuenca Cotacajes
Bolivia Cuencas de Ríos Caine y Mizque
Bolivia Lago Poopó y Río Laka Jahuira
Bolivia Lagunas de Agua Dulce del Sureste de Potosí
Bolivia Lagunas Salinas del Suroeste de Potosí
Bolivia Parque Nacional Sajama
Bolivia Reserva Biológica Cordillera de Sama
Bolivia Reserva Nacional de Flora y Fauna Tariquía
Bolivia Serranía de Aguarague
Bolivia Southern slopes of Tunari National Park (Vertiente Sur del Parque Nacional Tunari IBA)
Bolivia Yungas Superiores de Apolobamba
Bolivia Yungas Superiores de Madidi
Bolivia Yungas Superiores de Mosetenes y Cocapata
Chile Baker River Wetlands
Chile Chacabuco Valley and Baker River Entrance
Chile Corredor Biológico Nevados de Chillán-Laguna del Laja
Chile Coyahique Alto-Coite
Chile Parque Nacional Torres del Paine
Chile Santuario de la Naturaleza Yerba Loca
Chile Sierra Baguales
Chile Valle del Yeso
Ecuador Parque Nacional Cayambe-Coca
Ecuador Parque Nacional Cotopaxi
Ecuador Parque Nacional Sangay
Ecuador Reserva Ecológica Antisana (west) and adjacent areas
Peru Alto Valle Santa Eulalia-Milloc
Peru Champará
Peru Cordillera Huayhuash y Nor-Oyón
Peru Cotahuasi
Peru Laguna de los Cóndores
Peru Parque Nacional Huascarán
Peru Reserva Nacional de Paracas
Peru Reserva Nacional Pampa Galeras
Peru Río Abiseo y Tayabamba

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Desert Hot suitable non-breeding
Grassland Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude major resident
Grassland Temperate suitable resident
Marine Intertidal Rocky Shoreline marginal resident
Marine Intertidal Sandy Shoreline and/or Beaches, Sand Bars, Spits, Etc marginal resident
Marine Intertidal Shingle and/or Pebble Shoreline and/or Beaches marginal resident
Shrubland Subtropical/Tropical Dry suitable resident
Shrubland Subtropical/Tropical High Altitude suitable resident
Altitude 0 - 5000 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Agriculture & aquaculture Annual & perennial non-timber crops - Small-holder farming Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem conversion
Agriculture & aquaculture Wood & pulp plantations - Agro-industry plantations Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Slow, Significant Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem conversion
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Persecution/control Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Species mortality
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Unintentional effects (species is not the target) Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Slow, Significant Declines Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Species mortality
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Canis familiaris Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Causing/Could cause fluctuations Medium Impact: 6
Stresses
Competition
Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - Coragyps atratus Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Causing/Could cause fluctuations Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Competition
Transportation & service corridors Utility & service lines Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Causing/Could cause fluctuations Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Species mortality

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Pets/display animals, horticulture international

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2025) Species factsheet: Andean Condor Vultur gryphus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/andean-condor-vultur-gryphus on 10/01/2025.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2025) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 10/01/2025.