Did you know there are only 358 critically endangered California condors left?
In 1980, the wild population of California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) was thought to consist of just five breeding pairs. In 1987, the species became extinct in the wild when the last wild California condors were taken into captivity to become part of a captive breeding program – the only way to save the species.
Today, thanks to that decision to start a captive breeding program, 189 California condors are flying free and 169 are in captivity. To help raise awareness for these majestic birds, here is a compilation of incredible California condor facts and a photo gallery of some of the most unusual faces you’ve ever seen. Enjoy!
About Rhishja Cota-Larson
The condors have numbers tatooed on their wings….it is a good way to keep track of each condor….I am wondering if companies can adopt a condor and monitor their condor’s life and receive reports about the welfare of the condor?
From the author:
Mary – you can adopt a condor at http://mycondor.org/ … the condors are ID’d by their wing numbers, and have also been given nicknames by the field team.
there are currently, about 198 condors in the wild, and a little over 300 in conservation programs.
i think the California condor has a pink head and neck the wings are black and white.
yes, the gymnogyps californianus (california condor) has a pink bald head. the neck is not neccisarily visible, because of the frill of black feathers surrounding it. also, yes, the wings ARE mostly black, but there IS a triangular white region underneath the wings.
Mary Bale the cat lady reminds me of one of Bladerunner’s replicants – right after the ‘entre of boiled dog’ question in the Voight-Kampff test, "You find a cat alone in the street. You pet it, and then what?"
please keep this site limited to california Q/A only, as i will be here to answer them, or touch up on a bit of detail. please, if you want to talk about random stuff that is not related to the topic whatsoever, go to facebook or twitter. im just getting a point across, and im not trying to cause problems. PLEASE NOTE: there should be NO foul language on this site, as there might be some youths learning simply about the california condor. you havnt been swearing, but PLEASE, LEAVE NOW!- i dont want any other problems, as i am proactively solving future problems.
9 1/2 wingspand
the female is surprisingly smaller than the male, as it reaches up to 6 feet. i have found that the male can reach up to 11 feet,but of course, it is not the largest bird in general. the ostritch takes that title:)
Oh, by the way, please spell correctly. im a hypocrite, yes indeed.
The california condor is a carniverous scavenger, feeding on the carcasess of dead mammals (carrion) such as cattle and deer. they live in the carniferous forests of california and the rocky scrub lands of arizona, such as the grand canyon. the male condor may spread its wings, change its head color to a glowing reddish orange, and puff it up to find a mate. the female lays one or two small, blueish eggs every february and march. after about 158 days of incubation, the eggs hatch, but are not able to fly until after 6 months. the adult condor has a pink, bald head with a frill of feathers surrounding the neck. it has uniform black feathers with triangular regions under the wings.
Robbie as the population increases, in the million to one odds that someone were to find an injured condor, who should be contacted?
The California Condor Conservation of the San Diego Zoo is a good place to start. http://cacondorconservation.org/did-you-see-a-california-condor-let-us-know/