Home Application Download FAQ
English
English
繁體中文
日本語
Español
Français
Deutsch
Pусский
Português
Italiano
한국어
Nederlands
العربية

California Condor

A species of North American Condors, Also known as California Vulture
Scientific name : Gymnogyps californianus Genus : North American Condors

California Condor, A species of North American Condors
Also known as:
California Vulture
Botanical name: Gymnogyps californianus
Genus: North American Condors
California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) Photo By Sheila Sund , used under CC-BY-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original

Description

The huge, distinctive california Condor darkens the sky as the largest land bird in North America, with a broad wingspan which ends in long “fingers”. A fully grown california Condor will be black with bright white patches beneath its wings. Its featherless head is bordered by what looks like a fluffy scarf or a feather boa.
Size
1.2 - 1.3 m
Life Expectancy
36.5-40 years
Nest Placement
Cliff
Number of Broods
53 - 60 days
Nestling Period
163 - 180 days
Feeding Habits
California Condor primarily consumes carrion of varying sizes, from deer, cattle, and pigs, to sea lions and whales. They ingest bone chips and shells for calcium. California Condor uses sight, not smell, to find food, opting for smaller bones that are easier to digest. California Condor feeds in groups, avoids human-associated food sources like roadkill, and can intake 5–7% body mass daily, feeding every 2-3 days from a large crop capacity. California Condor rarely eats bird or reptile carcasses.
Habitat
California Condor thrives in mountainous terrains with a mix of open grasslands, wooded areas such as coniferous forests and oak savannas, and rocky shrublands up to 6,000 feet in elevation. These birds select regions with favorable air currents for energy-efficient soaring, requiring large territories for foraging and utilizing cliffs and tall trees for nesting.
Nest Behavior
California Condor lays eggs directly on the ground or on debris piles. Females choose the nest site, and the species may alternate sites. Parental care is shared, with a focus on protecting and incubating the egg.
Nest Characteristics
California Condor typically nests in natural cavities, caves on cliffs, or trees. The nest is about 3 feet across, up to 8 inches deep, with loose boundaries, composed of materials like gravel, leaves, bark, and bones.
Dite type
Scavenger

General Info

Feeding Habits

Bird food type

Behavior

During their day, california Condor soar vast distances in search for carrion, demonstrating incredible stamina as they glide across the sky. These birds are sociable, often congregating at communal roosts and even recognizing fellow california Condor. Their interactions are usually peaceful, though dominance can prompt elaborate threats involving posture changes and inflated air sacs. Pairs of california Condor showcase monogamy, sharing nesting duties while remaining together year-round. Courtship is a graceful aerial dance with mutual preening. Offspring rely extensively on their parents post-fledging, influencing breeding patterns. California Condor also maintain hygiene meticulously by bathing and preening, oftentimes assisted by their mates or offspring, and engage in sunning to dry out feathers and warm up. At night, they sleep on high perches, sometimes prone. Predatory threats are scarce but can include Golden Eagles and black bears. Juvenile california Condor indulge in playful behavior, an expression of their youthful exuberance.

Species Status

The California condor conservation project may be one of the most expensive species conservation projects in United States history, costing over $35 million, including $20 million in federal and state funding, since World War II. As of 2007, the annual cost for the condor conservation program was around $2.0 million per year.
California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) Photo By Sheila Sund , used under CC-BY-2.0 /Cropped and compressed from original
Download Picture Bird
Identify any bird by photo or sound in seconds
Cookie Management Tool
In addition to managing cookies through your browser or device, you can change your cookie settings below.
Necessary Cookies
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.
Analytical Cookies
Analytical cookies help us to improve our application/website by collecting and reporting information on its usage.
Cookie Name Source Purpose Lifespan
_ga Google Analytics These cookies are set because of our use of Google Analytics. They are used to collect information about your use of our application/website. The cookies collect specific information, such as your IP address, data related to your device and other information about your use of the application/website. Please note that the data processing is essentially carried out by Google LLC and Google may use your data collected by the cookies for own purposes, e.g. profiling and will combine it with other data such as your Google Account. For more information about how Google processes your data and Google’s approach to privacy as well as implemented safeguards for your data, please see here. 1 Year
_pta PictureThis Analytics We use these cookies to collect information about how you use our site, monitor site performance, and improve our site performance, our services, and your experience. 1 Year
Cookie Name
_ga
Source
Google Analytics
Purpose
These cookies are set because of our use of Google Analytics. They are used to collect information about your use of our application/website. The cookies collect specific information, such as your IP address, data related to your device and other information about your use of the application/website. Please note that the data processing is essentially carried out by Google LLC and Google may use your data collected by the cookies for own purposes, e.g. profiling and will combine it with other data such as your Google Account. For more information about how Google processes your data and Google’s approach to privacy as well as implemented safeguards for your data, please see here.
Lifespan
1 Year

Cookie Name
_pta
Source
PictureThis Analytics
Purpose
We use these cookies to collect information about how you use our site, monitor site performance, and improve our site performance, our services, and your experience.
Lifespan
1 Year
Marketing Cookies
Marketing cookies are used by advertising companies to serve ads that are relevant to your interests.
Cookie Name Source Purpose Lifespan
_fbp Facebook Pixel A conversion pixel tracking that we use for retargeting campaigns. Learn more here. 1 Year
_adj Adjust This cookie provides mobile analytics and attribution services that enable us to measure and analyze the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, certain events and actions within the Application. Learn more here. 1 Year
Cookie Name
_fbp
Source
Facebook Pixel
Purpose
A conversion pixel tracking that we use for retargeting campaigns. Learn more here.
Lifespan
1 Year

Cookie Name
_adj
Source
Adjust
Purpose
This cookie provides mobile analytics and attribution services that enable us to measure and analyze the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, certain events and actions within the Application. Learn more here.
Lifespan
1 Year
Download