First Andean Condor egg since 2016 laid at the National Aviary on April 6.

By: Neil Strebig

On Friday, April 6 the National Aviary announced that a pair of Andean Condors have produced a new egg. The mother, Lianni is currently incubating the egg, which is expected to hatch on May 18.

“Andean Condor populations are declining and every hatching is important. We’re proud to contribute to a global effort to save this incredible species through a collaborative breeding program and through our field conservation projects in Ecuador,” said executive director Cheryl Tracy in a press release.

Andean Condors are the world’s largest flight bird with a wingspan near 10-feet long. However, the species is identified as near threatened and is critically endangered in Ecuador. The National Aviary participates in a global breeding program in part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which aims to maintain a stable population for the species.

The parents Lianni and Lurch, are one of two breeding pairs at the National Aviary, which is the only North American zoo with two Andean Condor breeding pairs. Visitors can witness  Lianni incubating the egg inside the cave at the Aviary’s Condor Court habitat located just outside the aviary’s East entrance near Arch Street.

This is the first condor egg at the National Aviary since 2009 and only the third such egg since 2016. Both the Cincinnati Zoo and Denver Zoo had a Andean Condor hatching in 2016 according to the AZA.