Condor Biology
Explore the physical traits, behaviors, and life cycle of the California Condor, one of the world’s most remarkable and endangered birds.
Lifespan
California Condors can live 60 or more years.
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Plumage
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Wingspan
With a wingspan of approx 9.5 feet, California Condors are among the largest flying birds in the world. Individuals weigh between 16 and 25 pounds.
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Size ComparisonThe California Condor (approx 9.5 feet) is unmistakable when seen from a clear vantage point. At a distance, they can be confused with the common Turkey Vulture (approx 6 feet), which are much smaller and do not show the prominent white triangles from below on the leading edge of their wings. Bald Eagles (approx 7.5 feet) are also slightly smaller and do not show the same pattern on the wings.
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Pairing
California Condors reach breeding age when they are 6-8 years old. They are generally considered monogamous and form lifelong bonds. However, some condors nest in trios rather than pairs. These trio groups can include two males and one female, or two females and one male.
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Nesting Cycle
California Condors begin nesting early in the spring, often as early as February. Hatching, development of the chick, fledging, and post-fledging care of the chick continues for the next year plus. Therefore, the pair is unlikely to be available to nest again the following spring, resulting in an “every other year” type of nesting cycle.
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Nest Sites
California Condors select nest sites in high cavities of redwood trees, where these trees occur, or in caves, crevices, or ledges on cliff faces or rocky slopes. They use a natural substrate and do not build a nest like eagles and most raptors.
Nesting Condors |
Eggs
California Condors lay one egg per year. Parents take turns incubating the egg until it hatches at about 57 days. If the egg is depredated or fails to hatch, another “replacement” egg might be laid if it is early enough in the season for another nesting attempt.
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Chicks
Both parents share responsibility for providing the chick with food and warmth. Parents feed the chick by regurgitating food from its crop directly into the mouth of the chick. The chick takes its first flight at about six to seven months of age but may not become fully independent until the following year.
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Diet
California Condors feed on a variety of dead animals, including land mammal carcasses like deer, pigs, and ground squirrels, and marine mammals like whales and sea lions.
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Movements
California Condors can fly over 200 miles in a day, but movements can vary by season and age of the individual. The long days of spring and summer support increased movement, and sub-adult condors tend to travel more than territorial breeding-age adults. Columns of rising air, called thermals, assist the condors on their journeys by giving them free lift and allowing them more energy-efficient soaring flight.
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Habitat
Usually associated with mountains and rugged terrain where conditions favor prolonged soaring flight. The ocean breezes meeting the steep slopes along the Big Sur coastline provide condors with the lift they need for near effortless flight.
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Range Map
California Condors occur in several populations, including southern, central and northern California, Arizona and Utah, and Baja California. Many collaborators are working together to release captive-bred condors to the wild.
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