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condor vs. vulture
condor vs. vulture: What's the difference?
Condor refers to the largest type of vulture. A vulture is a large, carrion-eating bird of prey, often with no feathers on its head. Many non-condor vultures belong to the family Accipitridae, so vulture without further modification often refers to a member of this family. There are only two species of condor: the Califorian condor and the Andean condor, both in the family Cathartidae and both endangered.
[ kon-der, -dawr ]
noun
- either of two large, New World vultures of the family Cathartidae, Gymnogyps californianus(California condor ) or Vultur gryphus(Andean condor ), the largest flying birds in the Western Hemisphere: the California condor is almost extinct; the Andean condor is greatly reduced in number and rare in many areas.
- a former coin of Chile equal to 10 pesos.
- a former coin of Ecuador equal to 10 sucres.
[ vuhl-cher ]
noun
- any of several large, primarily carrion-eating Old World birds of prey of the family Accipitridae, often having a naked head and less powerful feet than those of the related hawks and eagles.
- any of several superficially similar New World birds of the family Cathartidae, as the turkey vulture.
- a person or thing that preys, especially greedily or unscrupulously: That vulture would sell out his best friend.