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The California Condor

The California Condor. By: Aidan Short. Classification. Scientific Name : Gymnogyps Californianus. Kingdom : Animalia Phylum : Chordata Class : Aves Order : Falconiformes. Family : Cathartidae Genus : Gymnogyps Species : Californianus. It’s closest relative is the Andean Condor.

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The California Condor

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  1. The California Condor By: Aidan Short

  2. Classification Scientific Name: Gymnogyps Californianus Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Aves Order: Falconiformes Family: Cathartidae Genus: Gymnogyps Species: Californianus

  3. It’s closest relative is the Andean Condor -It is slightly smaller than the California Condor in length, but it has a slightly larger wingspan. -They are similar in appearance.

  4. Physical Characteristics - Largest flying bird in America. - 3.5-4.5 feet long. - Weighs 18-25 pounds - Wingspan of 9-10 feet - Males and females look exactly alike.

  5. Head - Adults have a red and orange and completely bald head. - Juveniles have a grayish-black head that is bald as well. - The heads change to the color of an adult at 4-6 years of age. - The heads are bald for eating dead animals. - The beaks are long and sharp

  6. Pelage - Feathers are mostly black with a white lining under the wing. - Juveniles have black plumage but with very little white.

  7. Historic Range - At one time it used to roam across North America. - Climate change forced it to just the west coast.

  8. Current Distribution - California Condors are mainly in Southern and Central California. - They are being reintroduced in the areas shown on the map

  9. Habitat - They have a different habitat for each of their three primary needs: Scavenging, Roosting, and nesting.

  10. Scavenging - They like oak savanna and open grasslands with lots of large mammals.

  11. Roosting - They roost in dead trees and cliffs. - They come back to the same place year after year.

  12. Nesting - They don’t make stick nests. - They nest in caves, cliffs, and crevices. - They lay their eggs there.

  13. Conservation Status - It is critically endangered. - Its population is increasing. - Its population was down to just 22 birds in 1981. - Captive breeding programs brought up the population and they are being released back into the wild. - There are currently about 210 in the wild.

  14. Mating - The male spreads his wings and rocks back and forth. - They follow each other in acrobatic flights. - They stay together for life

  15. Reproduction - They reach maturity at 4-6 years. - The female lays one egg every other year. - The egg is usually laid between January and March - The egg is a pale green color.

  16. Parental Care - The parents take turns incubating for 54-58 days before it hatches. - The chick is fed regurgitated food by both parents. - After about 5 months, the chick will start to walk from the nest. - The chick will start to fly from the nest at 10-12 months. - It relies on its parents into its second year.

  17. Longevity and Mortality - They live about 45 years in captivity, and 20 in the wild. - Lead poisoning, egg collecting, shooting, and power lines are the main causes of the death of California Condors.

  18. Seasonal Patterns - They do not hibernate or undergo torpor. - They don’t migrate; they stay in the same regions year round.

  19. Diet - They are carrion eaters. - They like cattle carcasses and other dead large mammals. - They can travel up to 150 miles in a day searching for food.

  20. Predators - Mainly humans but some birds, such as ravens, steal the eggs from their nests. - Poaching, power lines, and lead poisoning almost wiped out the California Condor. - Lead poisoning is still a problem today to the released birds.

  21. Human Relationships - They were taken into captivity for a breeding program. - Humans helped to bring the population up. - They are still being released into the wild. - They are kept in zoo’s.

  22. Fun Facts - California Condors don’t have vocal cords so they hiss, grunt, growl, and use body language to communicate. - Native Americans called it the Thunderbird because of its huge wings. - Babies can take up to a weak to break out of their shells. - They can fly up to altitudes of 15,000 feet and reach speeds of 60mph.

  23. Works Cited IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. <http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/summary/106003821/0>. San Diego Zoo Global. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. <http://library.sandiegozoo.org/factsheets/california_condor/condor.htm#Physical%20Characteristics>. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. <http://www.fws.gov/hoppermountain/CACORecoveryProgram/PDF%20Fact%20Sheets/Biology%20of%20the%20California%20Condor.pdf>. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2013. <http://www.fws.gov/hoppermountain/CACORecoveryProgram/PDF%20Fact%20Sheets/CALIFORNIA%20CONDOR%20flyer-%20with%20long%20links.pdf>. The Peregrine Fund. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2013. <http://www.peregrinefund.org/subsites/explore-raptors-2001/vultures/cacondor.html>.

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