(Originally posted on January 5, 2025)
Today (January 5th) is National Bird Day, so I thought I’d highlight one of the biggest conservation success stories: The Condor.
Specifically, it was the California Condor that was pulled from the brink of extinction. We also have the Andean Condor. Now, California Condors had a slight boom in the late 1700’s because of human settlements having livestock, which gave them an ample food supply. Eventually, the people started moving to other areas and hunters began taking the game that would naturally feed the condors. Land was being taken over and eggs were being collected by people, which was decimating the condor population.
Condors were first protected in 1966 when 60 were in the wild, but it didn’t help and they dropped to 22. A recovery program began in 1979, which was controversial because people didn’t like the plan. It was that wild condors would be captured and used in a controlled breeding program. This could be difficult even though condors can live to 60 and are sexually mature at 6. They are monogamous and lay only one egg at a time, which is why the egg collecting was so destructive. Yet, there was a habit that conservationists could take advantage of.
While condors only lay one egg, they can have a second in the same breeding season if they lose the first one. So, people would take the first chick to hand feed and have an unpaired adult to raise, which prompted the mating pair to have a second chick. In 2021, it was also discovered that female California condors could have chicks without mating, which is called parthenogenesis.
It took a long time for the release part of the program to work, but it eventually took hold enough for the wild ones to breed. As of this year, there are 343 free-flying condors and 217 in captivity. The breeding program continues and is seen as a great success.
Here are some condor facts:
- They are actually vultures, which means they are scavengers.
- Condors are the largest land birds with California ones having a wingspan of 9.5 feet and Andean at 10.5.
- Condors prefer to fly in windy areas in order to glide since they are so big.
- Andean males have brown eyes and females have red.
Let’s get some pictures and videos too.
Andean Condor
Andean Condor
California Condor
California Condor
Legends of Windemere 
So glad they were pulled back from the brink. Large birds are always fascinating (unless you are a creature about to become a meal for one of them).
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They are fun to watch if you see them in the wild. Any bird of prey is. We have hawks in the park, so you can see them flying around. Occasionally hunting squirrels too, which gets comical.
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They are magnificent birds and thank heavens they are protected with strict laws – although every once in a while I read some stupid idiot killed one.
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Not surprising. You always have a moron with a gun who wants to kill an endangered animal.
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Terrific post, Charles. That video of the youngster flying was very special.
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Thanks. 😁
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These birds are huge, and quite beautiful. Thank goodness they’re protected.
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Glad they made a comeback.
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It’s great that the conservation has been so successful. Such awe-inspiring birds.
I love the video of the youngster learning to fly.
Baby: You gotta be joking, Mum. No way am I jumping from here. It’s a long way down.
Mother: That’s why you’ve got wings, son. Watch and learn. *leaps into the air and glides around before landing again*. See. Easy peasy. You just spread your wings and the wind does ghe rest.
Baby, muttering: Easy for you to say. What if the wind drops?
Mother, *getting irritated, sidles up to her son and pushes him.* Now spread your wings.
Baby: Help! *spreads wings*. Wheee! This is fantastic!
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I feel like that’s a common bird conversation. I think there’s a species of duck that have their babies in trees. So the babies have to leap into the leaf litter below. Might be another that does the same with cliffs.
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I hear the latest reintroduction is in Northern California and Southern Oregon, where a native tribe has been extensively restoring habitats.
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That’s awesome.
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Yes. I heard about this ducks, too.
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This is such a cool program. I’ve wanted to return to Grand Canyon for a long time to see if I could spot one.
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Think you’ll get a chance to go there?
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Someday, maybe.
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