Colombian National Bird

By -


The Andean Condor (Vultur gryphus) is found throughout the Andes regions of South America. It is one of the largest birds in the world with a wingspan of over 10.5 feet (3.5 meters). It is recognized for its ability to fly at great heights, and it has amazing stamina. In a day it can fly over 1,000 km. It is characterized by its longevity, and is therefore known as "the eternal bird." Another interesting feature is that it typically only flies on sunny days.

The Andean Condor symbolizes the Colombian people's freedom and sovereignty. It was selected as a national symbol in 1834.

Unfortunately, it is considered a near threatend species by the international Union for the Consevation of Species (IUCN), and it was placed on the US Endangered Species List in 1970. It is believed that fewer than 100 of them actually still live in Colombia. My Colombian husband saw his first Andean Condor in a zoo here in the U.S.

Some zoos participating in the Andean Condor Species Survival Plan are: San Diego Zoo (the Coordinator of the program), Denver Zoo (CO), Brookfield Zoo (IL), Beardsley Zoo (CT), Cincinnati Zoo (OH), Fort Worth Zoo (TX), Oregon Zoo, Zoo Boise (ID), and San Antonio Zoo (TX). You can find out more info, by googling the zoo and Andean Condor Species Survival Plan. You could also plan to take your child to a zoo where he/she can see the national bird for him/herself.


Get wall paper for your computer and learn more about the Andean Condor at the following National Geographic site.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Muisca Indigenous Names, from Hunza (Tunja)

By -
In response to this week’s posts on names, I have received several e-mails asking about the names of famous Colombians and their stories and about Indigenous names. I plan to spend the next three days sharing some of them. Also, I will continue to post more in the future and you will be able to find them all by clicking on the NAMES link the LABELS section to the right of the blog. Name: AQUIMÍN ( pronounced: ah key MEAN) or AQUIMINZAQUE (pronounced: ah key mean ZAH kay) When the Spanish arrived on the plains of Bogotá, 1536, they found a great nation. In fact, it was the third largest group of indigenous inhabitants in America. They called themselves the Muiscas , which meant ‘the people’. Their language was called Chibcha . The Muiscas were not a united group, but rather a collection of city states. The majority of the power was held by two main cities – what today are called Bogotá and Tunja (in Boyacá). These two cities were mortal enemies and each enlisted the loy
Read more

Popular Colombian Names

By -
Recently, I was asked to write a post on Colombian names, and popular Colombian names. I had a hard time finding a list, but eventually I did find one. According to I.N.E. - Instituto Nacional de Estadística, -- unfortunately, when I found this it doesn't say the year -- the most common Colombian boys names across all ages are: 1 JUAN CARLOS 2 CARLOS ALBERTO 3 ALEXANDER 4 ANDRES FELIPE 5 LUIS FERNANDO 6 DIEGO FERNANDO 7 JHON JAIRO 8 CARLOS ANDRES 9 ALEJANDRO 10 JUAN DAVID The girls are: 1 SANDRA MILENA 2 LUZ MARINA 3 CAROLINA 4 PAULA ANDREA 5 CLAUDIA PATRICIA 6 MARIA EUGENIA 7 PAOLA ANDREA 8 DANIELA 9 LILIANA 10 MARTHA CECILIA Just as here, names go through ebb and flow. Fourteen years ago when we were married, I attended several baby baptisms and met numerous friends of my husband. At the time, it seemed like everyone was naming their kid Juan CAMILO (boy) or Maria CAMILA (girl). I met dozens of them. Then, about 7 years later, I heard tons of SANTIAGO, JULIAN, SEBASTIAN and FE
Read more

La Madremonte

By -
Image
The myth of the Madremonte (Mother Mountain), and I do say myth though many campesinos in Colombia believe in her today, has it's roots in the indigenous cultures of Colombia and is known throughout much of Colombia including Antioquia, Caldas, Arauca, Caqueta, Amazonas, Guainia, and perhaps more departments. The Madremonte looks like a large woman. She has large, bony hands, large teeth and Betty Davis Eyes -- which on closer examination glow. Her body is covered in leaves and moss. Her hair is a tangled mess of plants and moss which often covers her face. She lives in the mountains and jungles, (in Antioquia and Caldas she lives in swamps where streams are born. People who claim to have seen her, usually report to have done so near thickets and bushes in jungle like areas. Others report having heard her bloodcurdling screams and groans on stormy nights. She rules the winds, the rains, and all the vegetation, and her role is to protect nature. She punishes those who invad
Read more