64 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



CALIFORNIA CONDOR 



( Gymnogyps calif ornianus) 



The California condor shares with the 

 condor of South America the honor of 

 being the largest hving hawklike bird 

 found in the New World, exceeding in size 

 the largest of the eagles, and being much 

 larger than its relatives, the turkey and 

 black vultures. 



Formerly quite abundant, according to 

 recent estimate by Mr. Harry Harris, 

 possibly ten individuals still exist in Cali- 

 fornia. Little is known of them in Baja 

 California, save that Indians hunt them for 

 ceremonial purposes. But it is certain that 

 few remain, and the species is one that 

 may easily become extinct. 



In days past, the California condor 

 ranged into open valleys and other regions 

 where it was easily accessible, but, to see 

 it now, it is usually necessary to penetrate 

 the wildest and most difficult mountain , 

 sections. 



CONDORS ARE EASILY DISTINGUISHED 



By those who penetrate its haunts, the 

 condor is confused with no other bird. 

 Straining eyes may examine distant eagles 

 and turkey buzzards, but when a condor is 

 sighted there is no mistaking it for its 

 smaller relatives. Its enormous size and 

 the broad sweep of its wings distinguish it 

 almost at a glance when it is far distant. 

 When nearer at hand it is marked by 

 prominent white patches on the under side 

 of the wings. 



The condor uses soaring flight as con- 

 sistently as does the turkey vulture, but 

 is more a master of the air and can travel 

 at higher speed. The birds range widely 

 over the mountains, but seem to have cer- 

 tain limits within which they may be found 

 at all seasons of the year. Several may 

 occur together, except during the nesting 

 season, when they separate into pairs and 

 resent intrusion of others. 



Although not ordinarily quarrelsome, it 

 is said that, when provoked, the condor can 

 drive the golden eagle from its haunts. 



The food of the condor is composed of 

 the flesh of dead animals, either fresh or in 

 a state of decay. The feet are not adapted 

 for seizing, but the birds hold down their 

 food while they tear it apart with their 

 strong bills. A diet of carrion would seem 

 to be taken partly because the birds have 

 no other choice. In captivity they are fed 



on fresh meat, and some individuals, when 

 accustomed to this ration, have refused to 

 take flesh that was at all tainted. 



The size of the California condor is in- 

 dicated by its wing spread, which ranges 

 by actual measurement from 8 feet 4 

 inches to 9 feet 9 inches. There are nu- 

 merous reports of birds with a breadth of 

 wing in excess of the maximum given, but 

 these seem to be based on estimate and 

 have not been substantiated. Though many 

 statements that attribute larger size to the 

 South American condor have been made, 

 authentic measurements indicate that it and 

 the California condor are similar in size. 



The California condor places its single 

 egg on the bare surface in a recess, cave, 

 or pothole on a rocky cliff, often in a 

 cavern formed by leaning slabs of stone, 

 and formerly was reported nesting in hol- 

 low tree trunks and hollow logs. The 

 e.gg, found from January to March, is 

 white with a bluish or greenish tinge, and 

 measures about 4J^ by 2^ inches, or about 

 the size of the egg of the domestic goose. 



The young when hatched are covered 

 with white down, except for the head, 

 which is bare. From captive individuals 

 it appears that these birds are not adult 

 until they are more than three years old. 

 Young birds utter curious hissing, growl- 

 ing calls, but adults are silent. 



The nestlings grow slowly and are under 

 parental care for about six months before 

 they are able to fly. They seem to have 

 greater longevity than most birds, since 

 three living in captivity in the National 

 Zoological Park in Washington, D. C, are 

 now thirty years or more old. 



AGES AGO THIS MIGHTY BIRD RANGED EAST 

 TO FEORIDA 



The California condor in historic times 

 ranged from the Columbia River south 

 along the western slopes of the Sierra 

 Nevada, and from Humboldt County, in 

 the same State, through the Coast Ranges 

 into northern Baja California, extending 

 casually into Oregon, Washington, and 

 southeastern California. 



It is now confined to the Coast Ranges 

 in northern Ventura County, southwestern 

 Kern County, and southeastern Santa 

 Barbara County, and to the San Pedro 

 Martir Range of northern Baja Cali- 

 fornia. Its bones are found in ancient 

 caves in Texas, Nevada, and New Mex- 

 ico, and in Ice Age deposits in Florida. 



