Differences between Condor and Grackle

Condor and Grackle are two classes of birds that belong to the Cathartidae and Icteridae families respectively.

Condor includes two species of New World Vultures, namely, the Andean Condor and the California Condor. They are one of the largest flying birds in the world. The Andean Condor is characterized by black feathers with white patches at the tip of wings. Its neck is covered with white fur, while the head is red and bald. The bird’s talons are straight and blunt and its beak is curved. The California Condor is generally black with white patches below the wings. The neck and head are yellowish orange without any feathers. These birds do not have talons and the backward toe for grasping. The beak is hooked and has an egg tooth.

Grackles are large Blackbirds. They have purple heads with bronzy brown plumage. Their tails and legs are black and long. The eyes are a bright golden, while the bills are black, long, and slightly curved. The males appear glossier than the females. The birds can make various squeaky and whistling sounds. They are known for their courage. The family of Grackles includes 11 species, of which one is extinct.

Where are Condor and Grackle found?

Andean Condors are found in mountains, deserts, and coasts. They exist in Andes mountains and parts of western South America. On the other hand, California Condors live in rocky shrubs and coniferous forests. They can be found in southern parts of Californian deserts besides Mexico, Utah, and Arizona.

Grackles are commonly found in meadows, woodlands, agricultural fields, and fringes of forests. They also live in parks, gardens, and lawn areas in cities. Grackles are distributed in parts of North America, northern USA, and Canada. Mexico is home to six species of the bird.

What do Condor and Grackle eat?

Andean Condors and California Condors are both carnivores and scavengers. They eat dead deer, sheep, pigs, cows, and other large mammals. On rare occasions they hunt small creatures like rodents, rabbits, and small reptiles.

Grackles are omnivorous. Their diet chiefly comprises of insects, worms, small fish and reptiles, rodents, frogs, small birds, and eggs. They also eat seeds, berries, and fruits.

Here are a few pointers about the eating patterns between Condor and Grackle

• Both Condor and Grackle eat Fish.
• Both Condor and Grackle eat Frogs.
• Both Condor and Grackle eat Lizards.
• Both Condor and Grackle eat Snakes.
• Condor do eat Turtles while Grackle may not eat Turtles.
• Condor do eat Squirrels while Grackle may not eat Squirrels.
• Gophers are commonly eaten by Condor while Grackle do not eat Gophers.
• Baby Ducks are consumed by both Condorand Grackle.
• Mice are eaten by both Condor and Grackle.

Size of Condor and Grackle?

When it comes to size, Andean Condors are one of the largest flying birds in the world with a height of nearly four feet and a wingspan of 10 feet. California Condors are nearly as large with a height of 3.5-4.5 feet and a wingspan of about 9.8 feet. They are the largest flying birds in North America.. Grackles are 0.99-1.11 feet long. Their wings span 1.18-1.5 feet. The Great-tailed Grackles are one of the largest among the species. They are 1.5 feet long with a wingspan of nearly 1.9 feet.

Condors are also huge in terms of weight. Andean Condors weigh 16.9-33 pounds. Meanwhile, the average weight of California Condors is 18-20 pounds. while Grackles typically weigh between 2.6 and 5 ounces. The Great-tailed Grackles weigh about 9.3 ounces.

Where do Condor and Grackle nest?

Andean Condors make their nests with sticks on safe rims of rocks or ledges of cliffs in higher elevation. Their eggs are bluish white with a weight of 9.9 ounces. Both partners take turns to incubate the eggs for 58-60 days. The chicks fledge at around six months but continue to be under the care of their parents for 10 months to two years. California Condors use mountain caves or tree cavities to lay eggs. They surround the eggs with gravel, sticks, or bones. The eggs are bluish green in color and weigh 10 ounces. Both male and female share duties of incubating and nesting the young ones. The eggs hatch after 53-60 days. The young ones fledge in about four months but remain with the parents for a year.

The female Grackle generally builds the nest with some assistance from the male. The nests are huge and usually placed on high coniferous trees. Appearing like large cups, they are made of straw, leaves, twigs, cloth, husk, paper, and similar material. It takes one to six weeks to construct the nests. The eggs are bluish green or grayish white in color with brown spots. The female incubates the eggs for 11-15 days. The young ones fledge 16-20 days after they hatch.

How long do Condor and Grackle live?

Both species of Condors have a long lifespan. Andean Condors live up to 50 years in the wild. The oldest lived bird died at 80 years in January 2010 at the Beardsley Zoo in USA. California Condors have an average lifespan of 60 years. Of the living California Condors, the oldest is a male that hatched in April 1966.

Grackles have an average lifespan of 17 years. However, they can live up to 20 years in the wild. Grackles face threat from predators, worm and parasitical infection besides poisoning by farmers.

Are Condor or Grackle migratory birds?

Andean Condors and California Condors are not typical migratory birds although they fly long distances. They do not travel in search of new habitats, instead travel nearly 125 miles a day looking for food.

Grackles migrate from northern USA, Canada, and the Great Plains to spend winters in southern USA. They travel before October-November and head back north in February-March.

Do Condor and Grackle fly in flocks?

A group of Condors is called a Condo. Andean Condors are mostly solitary. They live in small groups of three or four having both male and female birds. They may roost in colonies. Contrastingly, California Condors are more social. They spend time with their groups and also follow a social hierarchy. They eat together but following a pecking order.

A flock of Grackles is known as a plague. These birds are highly gregarious. They flock amongst their own and other species. They forage and roost in groups. They form larger groups to stay warm during winters, as well while travelling during migration.

Are Condor or Grackle protected?

Both Condor species are protected by law in the USA. They are categorized under the Endangered Species Act, under which harming or killing them is punishable.

Grackles are protected under the Migratory Birds Treaty Act in the USA. They are however excluded from conservation laws in Canada.

Are Condor or Grackle endangered?

Andean Condors are listed as threatened. They are extinct in Venezuela. Their population is under threat because of hunting by farmers to save their livestock and poisoning from pesticides. They also face danger from electrocution, eating trash, and exposure to pesticides. California Condors are listed as critically endangered. Only a few hundreds of them are remaining but their numbers are increasing due to captive breeding. These birds are being reinstated into the wild.

Grackles are not endangered birds. The Common Grackle species is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as near threatened. The Slender-billed Grackle is a species that became extinct in the beginning of the 20th century.

Can Condor and Grackle fly?

The Condor species fly by using thermals and flap their wings as infrequently as once an hour. Owing to their large size, they prefer to fly in windy regions. They can reach flying speeds of 55 miles an hour and soar at altitudes of 15,000 feet.

Grackles can fly at speeds of 29-39 miles an hour. Their long tails trail behind or are folded in a V shape during flight. The distance they travel during winters is shorter as compared to other birds. It also depends on how far north they live.

Can Condor and Grackle swim?

Condors are not built to swim. They are not water birds. They are huge and fly in search of food.

Grackles do not have webbed feet but can swim short distances. The younger Grackles paddle well with their wings if they accidentally fall in water.

Mating patterns among Condor and Grackle

Andean Condors reach sexual maturity when they turn five or six years. They have the longest breeding cycle among all birds in the world. They reproduce during alternate years. During courtship, the male’s neck changes color to bright yellow. He hisses and coos while dancing and hopping around the female with his wings partly spread out. The partners share a close bonding and raise the young ones jointly for a year. California Condors start mating when they are six to eight years old. They lay one egg every two years. Courtship will include the male performing displays, extending his wings, and dancing by moving his legs. The female also performs displays with her wings. The partners share the responsibility of incubating and tending to the young ones. The female California Condors are known to be able to reproduce asexually without mating.

Grackles start mating when they are one to two years old. Breeding happens annually, with the partners raising one to two broods each season. The male birds perform courtship flights, dances, singing, and puffing up of feathers to attract the female. They also engage in tail folding that indicate various signals. The female is followed by many male birds that seek her attention. The female lays one to seven eggs in a single breeding season. She incubates them for about 14 days. Once the eggs hatch, both male and female birds share the responsibility of feeding the young ones.

When is the mating season for Condor and Grackle ?

Andean Condors mate during February-June. In the case of California Condors, the mating season is from December to April.

The mating season for Grackles is from March-July every year. The birds start forming pairs when they return from migratory sites to their territories in the beginning of spring.

Do Condor and Grackle mate for life?

Both Condor species are monogamous and mate for life. They also live with their offspring for longer than most other birds.

Grackles are mostly monogamous. They mate for life and come back to the same nesting territory every year.

How do Condor and Grackle sleep?

Andean Condors and California Condors roost in groups on elevated cliffs or tall trees to keep themselves safe from predators on the ground. They however sleep near their nests during the breeding season.

Grackles roost in groups, usually on large trees. During winters they gather in larger flocks at nights to maintain body temperature.

Can Condor and Grackle be eaten?

Humans are not known to consume Condor meat. As these birds are scavengers, it is not healthy to eat them. Further, modern laws do not permit killing of Condors.

Grackles are reported to have been eaten by humans. However, modern laws do not permit killing of these birds for meat or any other purpose.

Can you hunt Condor or Grackle?

Reduction in the population of California Condors has chiefly been attributed to hunting by farmers who killed the birds to save their livestock. Farmers have also killed Andean Condors. Therefore, to save these species that are endangered, laws have been introduced prohibiting any kind of harming or killing.

Hunting and killing of Grackles is prohibited under the law. Nevertheless, some farmers poison them for destroying their crops and farms. In Canada, killing Grackles is not an offence.

Can you feed Condor or Grackle?

Condors are protected in captivity and at breeding centers to save them from extinction. Here, the birds are fed meat, rodents, chicken, and fish.

Grackles are usually fed with worms, insects, eggs, corn, and millet. Feeding them in public is not allowed in the USA.