California Condor
Scientific Name: Gymnogyps californianus
Distribution: western North America from Washington south to California
Habitat: 300-2700 meters; rocky scrubland, coniferous forests, oak savanna
Life Span: 35-45 years
Size: length 120-140 centimeters; wingspan 3 meters
Weight: 11.2 kilograms
Coloring: featherless red-orange head and neck; ruff of fine, downy, black feathers around neck; black body with white patches under the wings
Eyes: round, red-orange
Eggs: bluish-white; 280 grams; 9-12 centimeters long; 5 centimeters wide
Diet: carcasses of large mammals (cows, sheep, horses, deer, goats, coyotes); sometimes carcasses of small mammals (ground squirrels, rabbits, weasels); prefer fresh kills
Predator(s): no known natural predators
Behavior: diurnal, nonmigratory
Reproduction: breeding season December to April; nests in caves, crevices, natural cavities in giant sequoias, and on ledges; clutch size 1 egg only; incubation time 56-58 days; females usually lays 1 egg every 2 years
Conservation Status: critically endangered (IUCN 3.1); population increasing
Major Threats: lead poisoning from accidental ingestion of lead bullet fragments from dead animals shot by hunters; thinned eggshells from DDT (pesticide) poisoning; accidental ingestion of man-made objects (plastic, glass, wire)
Conservation Action(s): listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the California Endangered Species Act; captive breeding programs; banning of lead ammunition by the 2007 Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act
Other Notes: range decreased rapidly during 19th century; disappeared from outside California in 1937; is now being reintroduced into the wild after intense captive breeding efforts; plays an important role in recycling nutrients and disposing of dead or diseased animals
Interesting Facts:
Distribution: western North America from Washington south to California
Habitat: 300-2700 meters; rocky scrubland, coniferous forests, oak savanna
Life Span: 35-45 years
Size: length 120-140 centimeters; wingspan 3 meters
Weight: 11.2 kilograms
Coloring: featherless red-orange head and neck; ruff of fine, downy, black feathers around neck; black body with white patches under the wings
Eyes: round, red-orange
Eggs: bluish-white; 280 grams; 9-12 centimeters long; 5 centimeters wide
Diet: carcasses of large mammals (cows, sheep, horses, deer, goats, coyotes); sometimes carcasses of small mammals (ground squirrels, rabbits, weasels); prefer fresh kills
Predator(s): no known natural predators
Behavior: diurnal, nonmigratory
Reproduction: breeding season December to April; nests in caves, crevices, natural cavities in giant sequoias, and on ledges; clutch size 1 egg only; incubation time 56-58 days; females usually lays 1 egg every 2 years
Conservation Status: critically endangered (IUCN 3.1); population increasing
Major Threats: lead poisoning from accidental ingestion of lead bullet fragments from dead animals shot by hunters; thinned eggshells from DDT (pesticide) poisoning; accidental ingestion of man-made objects (plastic, glass, wire)
Conservation Action(s): listed as endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the California Endangered Species Act; captive breeding programs; banning of lead ammunition by the 2007 Ridley-Tree Condor Preservation Act
Other Notes: range decreased rapidly during 19th century; disappeared from outside California in 1937; is now being reintroduced into the wild after intense captive breeding efforts; plays an important role in recycling nutrients and disposing of dead or diseased animals
Interesting Facts:
- The California condor uses urohydrosis to keep cool (basically, they pee on their legs, which cools as it evaporates, and the cooled blood is then circulated through the body).
- The California condor has an inflatable pouch on its neck that it uses in courtship.
- California condors form lifelong monogamous mating pairs (they will only mate with each other for the rest of their lives).
- Female California condors sometimes lay "double clutches." They will lay a second egg to replace an egg that is lost or broken.