Endangered California Condor

A North American Vulture, Gymnogyps californianus, Makes a Comeback

Apr 8, 2007

The endangered California Condor, Gymnogyps californianus, was extinct in the wild in 1987. Now there are hundreds. Mature birds are mating, nesting and raising young.

The endangered California Condor, Gymnogyps californianus is one of the largest flying birds in the world. Once common all over the lower half of North America, California Condors were victims of shooting, poisoning, pesticides, collisions with power lines, and habitat destruction. By 1983 the species had dwindled to a tiny population of 21 birds in the wild.

Fortunately, California Condors breed successfully in captivity and when it became evident that they would die out in the wild, all the surviving birds were taken into captivity and a captive breeding program begun. The return of the California Condor began in 1992, when two immature birds were released in California. More birds followed and the wild population in 2007 numbers 135 birds, with 145 more still living in captivity.

California Condors are North American Vultures, classified with the New World Vultures. They are enormous bids with a wingspan of 3m (10 ft). Adults are black with bald necks and heads, and a white triangle on the underside of each wing. The exposed skin is coloured various shades of red, pink, orange, yellow and sometimes even blue.

Most of the wild birds are living in open and mountainous areas of California where they can soar on strong air currents; there are small experimental populations in Arizona, Nevada, and Utah, and the species has also been reintroduced to Mexico. The future success of all of these populations depends on the continuing protection of appropriate habitat.

Like other vultures, California Condors eat carrion—the decomposing remains of dead animals—including dead marine animals along the coast. The growing population today faces not only a shortage of dead animals such as otters, which are not as numerous as they once were, but also the threat of lead poisoning when they accidentally consume lead bullets in the remains of animals shot by hunters.

Here are some other interesting facts about California Condors:

The birds are monogamous and they mate for life.
Adults are 6 or 7 years old before they mate, and normally lay just one egg every second year.
Male and female birds share the care of both the egg and the chick.
Chicks stay with their parents for two years.
They roost together in noisy interactive gatherings.
When a California Condor is excited or upset, it blushes – the bare skin on its head and neck turns a darker red.
California Condors have a life expectancy of 60 years or more.
The birds sometimes fly as high as 15,000 feet.
Archaeological evidence tells us that the endangered California Condor is small compared to distant ancestors – fossil remains have been found of birds with a wingspan two and a half times as wide.

Perrins, Christopher ed. Firefly Encyclopedia of Birds. Buffalo: Firefly Books, 2003

San Diego Zoo. Birds: "California Condor. "

The copyright of the article Endangered California Condor in Wild Birds is owned by Rosemary Drisdelle. Permission to republish Endangered California Condor in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.