![]() Because of the time and energy it takes to raise one young condor to independence, condors only have one young every two years. Both parents take turns incubating the egg for two months until it hatches, and then continue to share parenting duties of their nestling for another six months in the nest until it fledges (learns to fly).Īfter this intensive parenting effort in the nest, the pair will continue to care for their newly fledged offspring for up to another year. Sometime between January and March, the female condor will lay a single egg in the nest cavity. They don’t build nests like many other birds, but instead find cavities in rocky cliffs or in the hollows of large redwood trees. Male condors perform a display “dance” for their mate, after which the pair may copulate.Īfter a few weeks or months of courtship, a mated pair of condors chooses a suitable nesting site. Mated pairs start the courtship process during the winter months during this period they will spend nearly all of their time together, preening each other and checking out potential nest sites. They are also very playful and curious birds, and it's not uncommon to see them play fighting, preening each other, or ganging up and inspecting anything new they may find in the area.Īn adult condor guards its young hatchling.Ĭondors typically - though not always - form long-term bonds with one mate year after year. Ideal condor habitat consists of wide expanses of undeveloped land, large trees for roosting, and rocky cliffs or tree cavities for nesting.Ĭondors are very social animals, and can form strong bonds with each other. They’ve been known to fly up to 200 miles in a single day, using their huge wings to soar long distances with minimal effort. Condors need a big territory that provides adequate food and shelter. Condors are scavengers - they strictly eat dead things, and have been seen feeding on everything from ground squirrels to beached whales. These giants soar on wind thermals high above the ground and use their sharp eyesight to spot food below. The exact lifespan of a California condor is unknown, but they are estimated to live over 60 years. A female condor and her six-month-old offspring perch on a rock.Ĭalifornia condors are the largest land birds in North America, with impressive wingspans of 9.5 feet and weights of around 20 pounds.
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