California Condor
Critically EndangeredGymnogyps californianus
Visual Identification
Appearance
The California Condor is a huge bird with a nearly featherless, reddish-orange head and neck. Its body is covered in black feathers, with distinctive white triangular patches under its wings visible during flight.
Both males and females share similar appearances, with no significant sexual dimorphism. Juveniles can be distinguished by their darker heads and lack of white underwing patches until they reach maturity at about 5-6 years old.
Size
Length
109cm to 140cm
Wingspan
270cm to 300cm
Weight
7.7kg to 14kg
Colours
Males and females have similar plumage
Primary Colour
Black
Secondary Colour
White Pink
Beak Colour
Ivory
Leg Colour
Grey
Habitat and Distribution
Habitats
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
Distribution
California Condors inhabit rugged, open country, including mountains, canyons, and coastal areas. They require vast territories with suitable nesting sites in caves or on cliff faces, as well as open areas for foraging.
Once widespread across North America, their current range is limited to parts of California, Arizona, Utah, and Baja California, Mexico. Reintroduction efforts continue to expand their distribution within these regions.
Elevation Range
Up to 2,000 meters
Climate zones
Mediterranean, Semi-arid
Distribution Map
This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a California Condor. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
- Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
- This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations
We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:
- More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
- How birds move around during different seasons
Distribution by Region
Behaviour and Ecology
Bird Attributes
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Share your thoughtsBird Attributes Explained
Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.
Attribute Categories:
- Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
- Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
- Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
- Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
- Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.
Understanding the Ratings:
- 0-20: Very Low
- 21-40: Low
- 41-60: Average
- 61-80: High
- 81-100: Very High
Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.
Hover over the icon next to each attribute for more information.
Tap the icon next to each attribute for more information.
Agility
Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
The California Condor exhibits remarkable agility for its massive size. Its 9-foot wingspan allows for effortless soaring and manoeuvrability, enabling it to navigate rugged terrains and ride thermal updrafts with grace. This impressive aerial prowess is essential for covering vast distances in search of food.
Strength
Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
As North America's largest land bird, the California Condor possesses formidable strength. Its robust build and powerful beak allow it to tear through tough animal tissues and bones, demonstrating significant physical might. The ability to carry heavy loads during flight further attests to its muscular capacity.
Adaptability
Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
While the California Condor has shown adaptability in its comeback from near-extinction, it remains vulnerable to environmental changes. Its specialised diet and specific habitat requirements limit its adaptability. However, its ability to thrive in diverse terrains, from coastal areas to high elevations, suggests a moderate degree of adaptability.
Aggressiveness
Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
California Condors are not typically aggressive birds. They are highly social, often feeding in groups and engaging in communal roosting. Their primary defensive behaviours involve hissing and grunting rather than physical aggression. However, they may display some aggression when defending feeding sites.
Endurance
Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.
The California Condor demonstrates exceptional endurance. It can soar for hours on thermal updrafts, covering up to 150 miles a day in search of food. Additionally, these birds can go up to two weeks without eating, showcasing remarkable stamina. Their potential lifespan of up to 60 years in the wild further underscores their impressive endurance.
Diet
California Condors are obligate scavengers, feeding primarily on large mammal carcasses such as deer, cattle, and marine mammals. They locate food by sight and can travel up to 150 miles daily searching for carrion.
Their strong beaks and digestive systems allow them to consume and process tough animal tissues and bones.
Behaviour
California Condors are highly social, often feeding in groups and engaging in communal roosting. They spend hours soaring on thermal updrafts, covering vast distances in search of carrion.
These birds exhibit unique 'urohydrosis,' where they urinate on their legs to cool themselves and disinfect their feet after walking through carcasses.
Vocalisation
Nesting & Breeding
California Condors form long-term pair bonds and typically breed every other year. Courtship involves aerial displays and mutual preening, usually beginning in late fall or early winter.
Nests are minimal, often located in caves or on cliff ledges. Females lay a single egg, which is pale blue-green in color. Both parents share incubation duties.
The incubation period lasts about 56-58 days. Chicks remain in the nest for 5-6 months before fledging and continue to depend on their parents for up to a year after leaving the nest.
Lifespan
The California Condor typically lives for 45 to 60 years, with a maximum recorded lifespan of 45 years.
Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.
Conservation and Status
Global Conservation Status
The California Condor remains critically endangered due to lead poisoning, habitat loss, and human disturbance.
Intensive captive breeding and reintroduction programs have brought the species back from the brink of extinction, with continued efforts focusing on expanding their range and reducing threats in the wild.
Birdwatching Tips
- Look for them soaring high in the sky over rugged terrain
- Visit known release sites in California, Arizona, or Utah
- Observe from a distance to avoid disturbing these sensitive birds
- Look for numbered wing tags used for identification in conservation programs
- Best viewing times are mid-morning when thermals begin to form
Additional Information
Quick Facts
Other names:
Condor, California Vulture, Thunderbird
Family:
CathartidaePredators
Did You Know?
- California Condors can go up to two weeks without eating.
- They have the longest lifespan of any North American bird, potentially living up to 60 years in the wild. The oldest captive bird lived for at least 70 years in the Moscow Zoo.
- In 1987, the last wild California Condor was captured for a captive breeding program, leaving no birds in the wild until reintroduction began in 1992.
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References
- 2 4
website: BirdLife International. 2020. Gymnogyps californianus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T22697636A181151405.
View source - 3
website, 2022: Partners in Flight
View source - 1
website, 2000: Carey and Judge, Longevity Records: Life Spans of Mammals, Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish
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