Have you ever heard rumors about strange cattle-eating birds? Well you’ve probably heard about the infamous Gymnogyps californianus, also known as the California Condor.

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These bald, orange-red headed birds can be distinguished from many other birds. Their body iis feathered in black with large white patches on the underside of the wings; a black feather ruff rings the neck. The males and females are also noticeably different. The males are larger in size with a wingspan of up to 9.8 feet and 44 to 55 inches from head to tail. Other than size though, the sexes are alike in every other way.  

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In their free time, the condors like to keep themselves clean by grooming. Thier feathers are carefully preened and the bare neck and head are cleaned after feeding. G. californianus are often seen bathing in shallow water holes to keep clean. For a bird that eats decaying matter, these birds are particularly clean.

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In addition, these birds are endothermic and bilaterally symmetrical. Endothermic means that they require the absorption of heat, or it could also mean that the animal is dependent in internal generation of heat. Bilaterally symmetrical means that they can be divisible into two symmetrical halves. For example, if they were split in half, there would be on one side; one wing, ½ a beak, and one leg, and on the other side, the same.

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California condors have many survival adaptations that helped when the condors were nearly extinct. They lack a sense of smell, so they developed a sharp eyesight to look for dead animals below. Eating carrion is also dangerous because bacteria might enter their internal system. However, the condors have an advanced immune system to fight this bacteria.

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These birds live in the rocky forests, which include canyons, gorges, and mountains. They range throughout the western U.S.  from Canada to Mexico, with some populations as far as east Florida and New York. The condors’ current range includes California’s southern coastal ranges from Big Sur to Ventura County, east through the Transverse Range and the Southern Sierra Nevada, with other populations in northern Baja California and the Grand Canyon ecoregion in Arizona.

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California Condors were on the brink of extinction in 1987, but were restored by many zoos. The San Diego Zoo and the Los Angeles Zoo successfully rounded up all birds and bred them into two new birds. These birds were the first birds introduced to a California wild sanctuary in 1991. Although there are more than 120 of these condors, this species has been known to be threatened since the late 19th century. Some of the reasons why these condors have been dying include poisoning, chemical pollution, loss of habitat and food resources, as well as a historical problem of hunting, and scientific over-collections. Scientists are unsure of the condors’ population, although their population has grown from the 1987s, when there were only 25 birds left.

 

Usually seen picking off large carcasses, such as dead cattle, it would be strange to see a large bird picking up a live rabbit, but it’s true. They can eat decomposed meat when times are hard and meat is rare, but usually prefer fresh kills. The condors are carnivorous, and also eat carrion, which are dead, decaying, animals. They usually don’t fight for food since there are so few condors.

 

California Condors have no predators except for humans. These birds have been hunted for their eggs. This is one of the reasons why there are so few G. californianus.

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When reading about my bird, I learned many interesting facts. After a near-extinction of condors, they now only descend from 14 founders. They are also on the California quarter. Of all the facts though, one really stood out to me; chicks are born with their eyes open.

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By: Elizabeth S 

Published: 2/19/14

Bibliography: 1.animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Gymnogyps_californianus 

                     2. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/californianus_condor

                     3. animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/california-condor

                     4. www.defenders.org/california-condor/basic-facts

                     5. animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/california-condor

                     6. library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/california_condor/condor.htm

                     7. www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/browse_tax.aspx

                     8. https://sites.google.com/site/condorch2011/life-cycle

                     9. http://www.ventanaws.org/species_condors_coolfacts             

                    10. Scholastic children’s dictionary                                                                            Picture Credit: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_condor#/media/File:Condor_in_flight.JPG