The California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) is one of the most iconic and endangered birds in North America. Here’s a detailed overview:
🦅 California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus)
Overview
- Family: Cathartidae (New World vultures)
- Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN Red List)
- Range: Southwestern United States, including California, Arizona, Utah, and Baja California (Mexico)
- Population: Fewer than 600 individuals as of 2024, including wild and captive birds
🔍 Identification
- Wingspan: Up to 9.8 feet (3 meters) — the largest of any North American land bird
- Weight: 17–25 pounds (7.7–11.3 kg)
- Plumage: Black with white patches under the wings
- Head: Bald and variable in color — pinkish to orange depending on age and mood
- Lifespan: Up to 60 years in the wild
🌄 Habitat & Range
- Prefers rocky shrubland, coniferous forests, and oak savannas
- Often seen soaring over canyons, cliffs, and mountainous terrain
- Nest in caves or cliff cavities
🍽️ Diet
- Scavenger: Feeds exclusively on carrion (dead animals)
- Large mammal carcasses (e.g., deer, cattle, marine mammals) are common food sources
📉 Conservation
- Extinct in the wild by 1987; all remaining individuals were captured for a captive breeding program
- Reintroduction efforts have been ongoing since the 1990s
- Primary threats:
- Lead poisoning from ingesting bullet fragments in carcasses
- Habitat destruction
- Power line collisions
- Conservation strategies include:
- Lead ammunition bans in condor habitats
- Captive breeding programs (e.g., at the San Diego Zoo and Los Angeles Zoo)
- Tracking and medical care in the wild
📚 Interesting Facts
- Sacred animal in several Indigenous cultures
- Soars for hours without flapping due to thermal updrafts
- Parents usually raise one chick every two years
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