Differences between Condor and Robin

Condor and Robin are two classes of birds that belong to the Cathartidae and Turdidae 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.

Robins are the largest of Thrush species. They are small song birds characterized by their running and stopping habit. The birds have yellow cone-shaped bills that they use for foraging food in the grass. Their legs are grey, thin, and long. The feet are adapted for perching. The birds also have a long tail. Robins have a round body. Their plumage depends on the species. The European Robin is known as the original Robin. It has a grey head, back, and belly. Its wings and tail are brownish grey, while its neck and breast are covered with a bright orange patch. The American Robin belongs to the Thrush family but is not related to the European Robin. It has a black head, greyish black back, and orangish yellow belly and neck. There are about 65 species of Robins across the world.

Where are Condor and Robin 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.

Robins live in deciduous forests, woodlands, grasslands, parks, farms, agricultural lands, and even cities. The American Robins are found in Canada, North America, and parts of Alaska. The European Robins exist in Europe, north Africa, and western Asia.

What do Condor and Robin 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.

Robins chiefly eat worms and insects. During summer and fall they also eat fruits, berries, seeds, peanuts, and raisins.

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

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

Size of Condor and Robin?

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.. The European Robin is 3.3-4.7 inches long with a wingspan of 8-8.5 inches. The American Robin is bigger. It measures 9-11 inches in length and has a wingspan of 12-16 inches.

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 The European Robin weighs 0.56-0.77 ounces. The average weight of the American Robin is 2.7 ounces.

Where do Condor and Robin 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.

Robins build their nests in the crevices of trees, walls, rocks, and buildings. Sometimes, they are also placed in hidden branches of trees and shrubs. The nests are shaped like bowls and typically four to six inches wide. The female Robin chooses the nesting site and also constructs the nest by pressing dried grass, twigs, feathers, paper, and moss with her wings. She lays eggs that are blue, sometimes with brown spots. The female performs the entire incubation duties for about 13 days. The chicks will be fed by both the parents, who also provide them warmth and protection. They fledge when they are about two weeks old but remain dependent on the parents for another two weeks.

How long do Condor and Robin 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.

The average lifespan of Robins is two years. Among the known birds, the oldest European Robin was 11 years and five months old, and the oldest American Robin was 14 years old.

Are Condor or Robin 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.

The migration of Robins depends on their location. European Robins living in Ireland and the UK rarely migrate or travel just about five miles in winters. The birds from Scandinavia and Russia relocate to the UK and western Europe. Robins from southern Europe also migrate during winters. American Robins are mostly residents. Some of them from North America and Canada may travel to the USA and Mexico in winters. Robin species in Asia are usually non-migratory.

Do Condor and Robin 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 group of Robins is known as a round. Robins are friendly and courageous birds that do not get intimidated by humans. They are generally gregarious amongst themselves, except in the breeding season when they prefer to be territorial. They forage and fly in flocks to safeguard themselves from predators.

Are Condor or Robin 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.

Robins are protected in the USA, Canada, UK, and many parts of Europe and Asia. In these countries, harming or hunting of the birds is a punishable offence.

Are Condor or Robin 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.

European Robins as well as American Robins are listed as species of least concern. Robins are largely not threatened. However, a few Robins are marked as endangered. They include Black Robin, Seychelles Robin, and Norfolk Island Robin. Robins are short-lived birds. They also face threats from predators, infant mortality, and migration in winters.

Can Condor and Robin 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.

Robins are active birds that fly for several hours every day. They fly low while moving around casually in the neighbourhood. For long distance travel and migration, the birds fly higher. Their flight is typically direct and quick. The average flying speed of Robins is 30-36 miles an hour during migration. The birds fly in loose flocks on a daily basis. For migration, they form larger groups, sometimes consisting of tens of thousands of birds.

Can Condor and Robin swim?

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

Robins are not water birds. They cannot swim but can manage to stay afloat as they have hollow bones. The birds enjoy bathing in water, so they often enter ponds, puddles, and shallow waters.

Mating patterns among Condor and Robin

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.

Robins attain sexual maturity when they are about a year old. Most of them start breeding in the spring or summer that follows their hatching. At the start of spring, the male sings loudly to attract the attention of the female. During courtship, both partners perch and sing. Once the pair is formed, the male and female Robins become aggressive to protect their nesting territory and keep a check that they do not lose their partner to another bird. The male fetches food for his partner to make sure that she gains enough weight to lay eggs and incubate them. Robins generally raise two broods a year. Each clutch usually contains about five to six eggs. The female does the incubation duties, while her partner gets food for her and guards the nesting territory. The partners involve equally in feeding and protecting the young ones after the eggs hatch.

When is the mating season for Condor and Robin ?

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

The mating season for Robins occurs during March-July. The birds, however, may start their nesting activities in January.

Do Condor and Robin mate for life?

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

Robins may or may not be monogamous. They usually stay with a single partner during each breeding season. Sometimes, they may also look for different partners in the same breeding season.

How do Condor and Robin 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.

Robins mostly sleep on crevices and branches of trees. They choose spots from where they can hear the approaching of predators and from where they can quickly flee. Except for the breeding season, when they sleep at nesting sites, Robins gather in large numbers to roost at night.

Can Condor and Robin 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.

Robin meat is edible. It was a cherished delicacy in North America. However, it is no longer eaten in the continent because of conservation rules. Some people in parts of Florida are known to still eat it though. Robin meat is popular in parts of Europe, especially France. Although there are rules against hunting of these birds, killing them for meat is tolerated in some places. The bird’s meat is also consumed in some oriental cuisines of Asia.

Can you hunt Condor or Robin?

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.

Robins were widely hunted in the past for their meat. Modern conservation laws restrict the killing of these birds. However, despite having protected status, Robins continue to be hunted in many countries.

Can you feed Condor or Robin?

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

People commonly offer food for Robins at feeders in their backyard. Robins enjoy mealworms. They also like berries, fruits, peanuts, and seeds.