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Back when Katie's Bird (1003) was first handled in July of 2020, he was temporarily given a tag with an exclamation point as his lineage was not yet known. Lo and behold, his results arrived in October 2020 and Katie's Bird (1003) was officially identified as the chick of Kodama (646) and Amigo (204). He was then given his official orange tag (worn by all “1000” condors) with the number 3 on it. And if you're wondering why 1003's hatch date is that much later than most condors, it's because his parents had a nest failure earlier in that season and Katie's Bird (1003) is the result of their second nesting attempt in a single season - known as a double clutch.
 
Hatched and raised on the Big Sur coast, Katie’s Bird (1003) is still frequently seen soaring over Highway 1 and feeding with the rest of the flock at the Big Sur Sanctuary. Perhaps due to his heritage, Katie’s Bird (1003) seems to exude an air of confidence while still showing respect to older condors when feeding. Occasionally, Katie’s Bird (1003) returns to his natal territory to check in on his parents, Amigo (204) and Kodama (646), but it’s unclear if his parents truly appreciate these visits.
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Katie's Bird (1003) is named in honor of Katie Lannon, a longtime and beloved VWS employee who lost her battle with cancer at the young age of 34. Learn more about Katie Lannon.