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Wild
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Wild
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Captive
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Total Number
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As the fate of the species hung in the balance, Ventana Wildlife Society began releasing captive-bred condors in 1997 to restore a population along the central California coast. Since then, we have monitored their population growth, their prolific scavenging on marine and land mammals, and their success nesting in the wild.
These magnificent birds are self-sufficient in most respects, but full recovery of the population is still threatened by lead poisoning. We continue to manage the central California flock with the National Park Service, moving ever closer to our goal of a self-sustaining population. read more
With the success of the captive breeding program, led by the San Diego and Los Angeles zoos, attention turned to releasing some condors into the wild. Beginning in 1992, condors were released in former strongholds in southern California. In 1996, condors were released in Arizona, near the Grand Canyon. Monterey County, along the central California coast, was also part of the historical range of California Condor. In fact, Spanish explorer Father Antonio de la Ascension recorded the earliest known record for condors with his sighting in Monterey Bay in 1602. The type specimen was collected in Monterey County in 1797. In 1997, Ventana Wildlife Society began releasing California Condors on the Big Sur coast, in Monterey County. We are proud to join U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, The Peregrine Fund, National Park Service, Zoological Society of San Diego, Los Angeles Zoo, Oregon Zoo, and most recently Oakland Zoo in re-establishing, monitoring, and managing wild populations of California Condors. Because of our efforts, combined with the efforts of our neighbors at Pinnacles National Monument, the California Condor population in central California is growing. An exciting discovery was made in 2006, when a Big Sur condor pair was found nesting in the burned-out cavity of a Coast Redwood. This was the first known nesting attempt in northern California in more than 100 years, and the first known nesting in a Coast Redwood. That same year, condors were discovered feeding on a Gray Whale carcass on the Big Sur coast, something not observed since Lewis and Clark observed condors feeding on a Gray Whale carcass near the mouth of the Columbia River in 1805. Although we are encouraged with the progress of recovery for the central California population, we recognize the continuing threats these birds face. Condors are scavengers which feed exclusively on carcasses, and they can be poisoned by contaminants in those carcasses. Lead poisoning, as a result of lead bullet fragments in carcasses or waste piles, remains foremost among threats, despite the recent ban on lead bullets in the condor's range. To help condors, we provide a source of non-lead carcasses and regularly trap and treat condors suffering from high blood levels of lead. To promptly detect health problems, our biologists account for each condor on a near-daily basis using radio tracking. Prompt treatment has saved the lives of several birds in the flock. We also monitor nests to ensure the greatest protection possible from potential threats to productivity. We hope that someday California Condor recovery will be sufficient for scaling back management efforts. What will it take? The goals for the California Condor Recovery Program are two self-sustaining wild populations (California and Arizona) and one captive population, each with at least 150 birds, and 15 breeding pairs. Because wild populations in both California and Arizona are still below this target, and require management assistance to sustain growth in the population, there is still much work to be done. |
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Condor Field Work
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Managing Condor Threats
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With a wingspan of up to 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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California Condors can live 60 or more years.
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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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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.
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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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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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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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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.
Condor Cams |
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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. Enlarge Map.
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California Condors can fly at least 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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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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California Condors are unmistakable when seen well. At a distance, they might be confused with the common Turkey Vultures, which are much smaller and do not show the prominent white triangles from below on the leading edge of the wings. Eagles are also slightly smaller and do not show the same pattern on the wings.
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Adopt-A-Condor
An unforgettable gift!
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Condor Gifts
Condor t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, sticker, patch, necklace, keychain, and more.
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Condor Cam
A critical field management tool to monitor wild condors.
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ventana wildlife societyVentana Wildlife Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization | Federal EIN 94-2795935
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