The Condor, named after the Quechua kuntur, refers to two distinct species of New World vultures, each belonging to a unique genus. These vultures, the Andean condor and the California condor, hold the title for being the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere.
The Andean condor thrives in the Andean mountains, while the California condor is presently found in limited regions—specifically, the western coastal mountains of the United States and Mexico, as well as the northern desert mountains of Arizona in the United States.
Belonging to the Cathartidae family alongside other New World vultures, condors differ from the 15 species of Old World vultures categorized in the Accipitridae family, which includes hawks, eagles, and kites. Despite their similar appearance due to convergent evolution, these two vulture groups evolved separately from distinct ancestors.
There’s mention of using primary wing quills from peacocks or geese as substitutes, potentially for achieving certain effects in creating a ginger quill fly or similar.
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