Instead of “flying like an eagle,” perhaps it should be “flying like a condor.”
A recently published study indicates that Andean condors can fly more than 100 miles without flapping their wings once.
The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, notes that the birds, which can weigh more than 30 pounds, are extremely efficient in using their initial and pre-flight flapping when they begin to fly. Once they reach the height they want, it is relatively stress free.
The Andean condor actually flaps its wings for one percent of its flight time. (Credit: Facundo Vital)
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“Watching birds from kites to flying eagles, one might wonder if they ever flutter,” study lead author Dr. Hannah Williams of the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behavior said in a statement. “This question is important, because when birds are as large as condors, the theory tells us that they depend on flying to move. Our results revealed that the amount of flapping birds did not change substantially with the weather.”
“This suggests that decisions about when and where to land are crucial, as not only do condors need to be able to take off again, but unnecessary landings will significantly increase their overall flight costs,” added Williams.
The researchers analyzed the data from when the birds began to travel until they reached flight height and found that nearly 75 percent of the condor’s flapping occurs during the initial takeoff.
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“This is a critical time since birds need to find upward air to avoid an unplanned landing,” added study co-author Dr. Sergio Lambertucci. “These risks are greater when moving between thermal updrafts. This is a good example of where the behavior of birds can provide information on the behavior of the air.”
Andean condors are over 4 feet long when fully developed, and have an exceptionally long lifespan, reaching up to 75 years in captivity, according to National Geographic. Their diet consists of large animals, both wild and domestic, and are known to feed on the eggs of other birds.
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